Finding More
by Courtni Desiree
Summary: What happens when Max gets new neighbors and they're immediately best friends, but its clear to everyone they're more... Apart from them? All human. Fax. Eggy. Better than the summary. Haha. Give it a shot.
1. Hi, there

**So I'm staring one more story. **

**So I have three stories going. **

**Great, right? :D **

**Yup. This one is all human. Yay. **

**Mini-rant: Ohkay! What the heck is with the people who have already read FANG?! I want to read it! AND THEY'RE SPOILING IT! SERIOUSLY! Okay, they're lucky they got to read it! BUT REALLY! THEY'RE RUINING THE WHOLE THING FOR ME! WHAT THE FRUIT?!?!?! IT IS NOT FAIR. No one ruined it for THEM. I mean, the summaries for new fanfics set after FANG. WHAT THE HECKKKKKKKKKK?! I don't care about the ending that is posted, 'cause I choose to NOT read it, but reading summaries, it's not my fault! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOO ANNOYED RIGHT NOW! **

**Humph. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

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I stood up, slamming my fist down on my alarm clock. _Shut up_, I thought towards the clock as I hit it again. It stopped. Cool.

"Max!" My mom called from down stairs. "Get up!"

"I am, mom," I told her from my room. I dragged my feet over to my closet, reaching in and grabbing the first pair of jeans I touched. Black skinny jeans. Fine by me. I reached back in, grabbing my dark red shirt, and then my converse.

Undressing from the sweatpants and tank top I wore to bed, I threw on the clothes I had taken out of my closet. I ran to the bathroom, brushing through my hair with my brush. My brown and blonde hair was pretty straight, but there were still a few waves. Ah well. I stuck my toothbrush under the running water, putting some toothpaste on the bristles, and began to brush my teeth. After three minutes, I spat out the extra tooth paste and rinsed my mouth with water.

When I was done in the bathroom I skipped down the stairs, running into the kitchen. "Hey mom," I smiled. "Hey, El."

"Max!" Ella smiled, running over to hug me. I hadn't seen her in the past forty-eight hours since summer was coming to an end. Last night she had spent the night over Nudge's house, and the day before I was babysitting the kids across the street, Gazzy and Angel. Nudge was my sister's age, twelve. Gazzy was nine years old, and Angel was seven years old. They didn't really need a baby sitter, but I always went over when they were home alone because they were so sweet.

Nudge's real name was Monique Holder, and Gazzy's real name was Ryan Johnson. Angel was Angel Johnson, and Iggy, my best friend, was really named James Griffiths. Don't ask where we got our nicknames.

I was Maximum Ride Martinez, daughter of Valencia Martinez, the best vet around. My younger sister was Ella Elisabeth Martinez, and we were pretty much best friends.

Today my mom had invited our new neighbors over. The Kennedys'. They had a son who was my age, fifteen, and he was an only child. I wasn't sure what he looked like, even though I'd seen his parents a few times. I'd never seen him.

It was nine fourteen, now, and they were coming over at noon. "Mom…" I moaned. "Why'd you make me get up three hours early?"

"Max, school starts in four days. Do you really want to sleep in until one until the first day of sophomore year and be late?" She had a point…

"Ugh, whatever." I mumbled, and grabbed a piece of bacon. "So, do you know anything about this Nick kid?" I asked, curious if we would ever be friends.

My mom shrugged. "No clue. The parents are really nice, but they don't seem like the ones who spoil their kid so they turn out a brat. So, hopefully he's nice."

Ella spoke up then. "I saw him the day they moved in!" She told me. "He is _hot_!"

Great to know. The person I'll be meeting today already has a fan club forming in this household. "Great, Ella. Just try not to fall all over him when he comes, 'kay?"

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered, shoving a piece of egg in her mouth.

We finished eating breakfast, taking us to ten-oh-four in the am. "Two hours left…" I muttered, pushing away from the table. "Imma go call Ig," I told my mom and sister, grabbing the phone while I headed up to my room.

I dialed his number while I climbed the stairs, and he answered on the second ring. "Yo," he said in his trademark 'yeah?' voice.

"Hey, Igs." I said after walking through the door to my room.

"Max!" He said, probably smiling. No, my best friend did not like me. We had just been best friends for seven years and I just hadn't talked to him since we went to the movies with JJ a few days ago. "About time you called!"

"Sorry," I laughed. "Neighbors are coming today," I muttered and he laughed.

"Come on," Iggy chuckled. "Can't be _that_ bad."

"Oh, I never said it would be bad," I told him. "But that Nick kid is apparently '_hot_' according to El. I just hope he's not stuck up. Most guys she thinks are hot are dumb fish." Dumb fish were what me, Iggy, and the rest of us called dumb … 'butts'. I hated swearing, but if you put the words together it was like dum bass. Bass is a fish. So I came up with that. It's an easy way out.

"Aww, so El doesn't think I'm '_hot_'?" He joked, but I knew he was curious. He hadn't been so keen on hiding the face he liked her.

"She does. You're Exhibit A."

"Hey!" He shouted and I laughed. "Wait, so Ella seriously thinks that?"

"Maybe," I answered, knowing it would drive him crazy. "I don't know."

He snorted. "Oh, really, Max. You and Ella tell each other _everything_. You know the answer."

He was right; me, my sister, and my mom told each other everything. There were no secrets at all in our house, and that may have been caused by the lack of fathers in our home.

"Yes, I do, and I told you it."

"Wait, so it's a yes?"

"Figure it out," I told him, and he hissed. "Now, back to me. How am I supposed to survive? Nick… I swear it'll be my luck to have a fish living next door to me. Worse thing is, his room is right on the side. His window is by my window." I admitted.

"If you've never seen him, how do you know?" Iggy asked, confused.

"Uhm, because I can see his room?"

"No, I mean, just because you can see _a_ room doesn't mean it's his. Unless you've seen him in it. And you've never seen him, so you haven't seen him in his room, meaning you don't know if that's his room."

Uh… Whaaaa?

"Iggy? You hurt my brain," I frowned, but soon realized what he said. "Okay, there is a bed in there, a twin sized bed, a TV, a dresser, and it's a dark color." I told him, observing the room as I spoke. "I don't think it's his parents'."

"I guess that makes sense," Iggy agreed after a long moment. "So when are they coming over?"

"Noon. So… In an hour and fifteen minutes." Wow. We were talking for that long?

"Ah," He sighed. "Shall we waste some time in a three-way?"

I nodded, then remembered he couldn't see me through the phone. "Yeah. Lemme call her, be right back," I told him, then hit 'flash' and dialed JJ's number.

"'Ello?" JJ's mom answered.

"Hey," I answered back. "Is JJ there?" I asked, and she said yeah. "Can I talk to her?"

"Sure, sweetie." Her mom answered, and then called her daughter. JJ picked up the phone from the computer room and yelled back to her mom that she had the phone.

"Hey, Max!" I heard her voice as her mom hung up the other phone.

"Three-way," I warned her, and then connected the lines.

"Hey, Igs."

"Hey, J."

"Fine, don't say hi to Max," I muttered, and they both said 'Hey Max,' at the same time.

"Hi." I laughed.

"So, aren't the new neighbors coming over today, Max?" JJ asked.

"Yup," I muttered, popping the 'p'.

"Why do you sound so pissed?"

"El thinks he's '_hot_', and those guys usually turn out to be fish."

"Yeah," she agreed and I heard her murmur in sympathy.

We talked about other stuff. Mainly about how school was going to be. We had two classes where all three of us were together, and I had one with only JJ, and none with only Iggy. I didn't count lunch as a class, but we had it together, too.

Soon enough, it was five 'til noon. "Crap, gotta go." I muttered, and the both wished me luck.

"Call when they're gone," JJ told me, and Iggy piped up with a 'me too'.

"'Kay," I agreed, then hung up.

"Max!" My mom called as I was running down the steps.

"I know, I know!" I yelled back, taking two steps at a time.

I hung the phone up on the hook and turned to look at Ella and my mom, who were both setting the table. "Igs and JJ say hey," I told them, even though they really didn't. Next time I would tell them Ella and mom said hey, and they'd tell me to tell them they said hi back, but I wouldn't need to. Smart strategy, eh?

Just then the door bell rang, and my mom looked at me. "Uhm, could you get it?" She asked me in a 'what the fruit?' voice. I sighed as I ran away from the kitchen to the tan front door.

I pulled it open as my day officially began.

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**Whoop-dee-doo. **

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	2. Maxypoo

**Okay, Purplewing: Iggy _can_ see in this story. That reason is that, because the flock never went to the school, his eyes were never tested on, meaning he wouldn't have lost his vision. **

**Anyways. Thanks for the reviews(: **

**This chapter is somewhat long-ish. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. **

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I opened the door to find two adults in the door way, and another boy just behind them. Hmm. Great. A shy kid.

"Hey, are you the Kennedys'?" I asked in my sweet voice.

They nodded then, and the woman stuck her hand out. "You must be… Erm, Ella?"

I heard laughter from the kitchen. "Nope, Ella is the weird one," I smiled and shook her hand. "Come on in."

Okay, I didn't exactly like them, but they didn't seem bad. I just wasn't one of those people who were like, 'Hey! You're a person! I like you!'. I had to know the person.

They stepped inside, Nick coming more slowly and holy _fruit_ was Ella right. He stepped inside dressed all in black: black hair, black eyes, black shoes, black jeans, and a black shirt. Sheesh. His skin was a deeper tone, like ivory or something. His hair hung down so it was right at his eyes, not quite covering them up, but at least covering his eyebrows.

"You Nick?" I asked in a confused voice.

"Nope, I'm John, that's Nick, I look good for my age, my son looks _horrible_ for his," he told me, pointing to another man with brown hair and glasses. He was tall and wearing a t-shirt and jeans. "Yeah, I'm Nick," he answered again. "Call me Fang, though."

"M'kay." I said, pointing towards the kitchen. "You can… Uhm… Go in."

"I know," He told me. "I'm waiting. For you."

"Oh," I said dumbfounded. I noticed his shirt had Angels and Airwaves on it and smiled. "Angels and Airwaves?" I asked, pointing at his shirt.

He nodded, smirking. It wasn't a full smile but it looked natural on him. "They're good," He said simply.

"Yeah, I want to see them live, but no one around here really likes them. Apart from me."

"I like 'em," he answered simply. "You mean the Jonas Brothers, right? This shirt is just one that my friend gave me."

I laughed and he smirked. "Nah… Obviously. Jonas… Disney… Ugh."

"Yeah," I laughed. "What's your favorite song?"

"Rite of Spring, probably. Maybe Breathe."

"Me, too," I laughed.

"Max!" My mom called from the kitchen. "Lunch!" Oops.

"Coming!" I called.

Fang and I started towards the kitchen, him waving me in first. "… and she has a group of friends I think that he might get along with." My mom was telling John and Marcie, Fang's parents.

"Yes, I don't see why he wouldn't get along with them," Marcie smiled. Then we walked in. "Oh, hey, sweetie."

He grimaced, and I smirked at him. 'Wait for it,' I mouthed to him. He thought 'sweetie' was embarrassing?

"Maxy-poo?" My mom called. "Can you get drinks for everyone?"

I glanced at him with a grimace on my face, but he was smirking. "Sure, what's everyone want?" I asked.

"Diet coke," My mom said while my sister shouted out "Mountain Dew!"

"Mrs. Kennedy? Mr. Kennedy? Fang?" I asked.

"I'll just have water," Mrs. Kennedy answered. I looked to Mr. Kennedy.

"Diet Coke," he answered.

"Okay, Fang?" I turned to him.

"I don't know. I'll come with you," he told me, and I nodded. I trotted over towards the basement door and opened it. "So," he smirked when we were at the bottom of the steps. "_Maxy-poo_?"

"Yeah, yeah," I laughed. "Shut up, _sweetie_," I smirked.

"Oh, well Maxy-poo, why would I shut up?"

"Because I told you to?" I smiled sweetly.

"Well shucks, even when my mum tells me to do something I don't necessarily do that certain thing," he laughed, following me to the back room.

"I'm not your mom," I pointed out.

"Oh, thank goodness. That'd be awkward if you were. Meeting my mom, and all. And, 'ya know, being the same age as her?"

"Awkward? I thought the right word was something that's more like, 'Holy fruit my mother looks amazing for her age.'" I laughed.

"Oh, so you _are_ my mother? And you're _not_ the same age as me? Oh, well, that sucks," He frowned sarcastically.

"Why does it suck?" I asked.

"What if I liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike you?" He laughed sarcastically, and I looked at him. "Just kidding, I don't want a mom who is in my grade, though." He smirked, and I his chest. Ow.

"Holy crap what do you have under your shirt?!" I asked him surprised.

He looked at me weird. "Well, that's not a weird question or anything… But for the record, I have a body under my shirt. Unless you thought I would have like, a pillow or something."

"No, it hurt," I laughed, and looked at my hand.

"I've got mus-ckles." He smirked, and I laughed. "For the record, you're stronger than most girls."

"For the record, I barely hit you," I smirked.

"Holy crap," He laughed. "Then I guess you're _muy fuerte_." He paused then and looked at me. "For a chica."

"¿Tú hablas español?" I laughed.

"Sí," He answered, smiling. "¿Y tú?"

"Sí?" I asked in a 'duhh' voice.

"Ma-ax!" Ella yelled from the top of the stairs. "Mom said stop making out with Fang and get the drinks up here!"

I dropped my jaw and then heard, "I did not say _that_!"

Fang was laughing, and seeing him laugh I couldn't help but join in. "Come on," I laughed and grabbed the drinks, including an extra Mountain Dew for me and Fang also grabbed one.

Ella was waiting at the top of the stairs, and in the middle of the stairs, Fang stopped and told me, "That was awesome; we should do that again sometime."

Ella's jaw dropped and I smiled at him. "Sure," I smirked, and her eyes widened.

"Mooooom!" Ella screamed running into the kitchen. "I was right! I was right!"

Remember what I said about no secrets in this house? Yeah. This was how this all usually went. One of us finding out something and then running off to tell the other. Fang and I got into the kitchen, Ella facing away from us. I quickly started shaking my head smiling, and my mom understood.

"Well that's great, honey." My mom said looking at me and playing along.

"Can we just eat already?" I laughed and gave everyone their drinks. "Ice, anyone?"

Everyone nodded, and I got out six cups, filling them with ice.

We all started eating, then, and soon we were done. "Maxy-poo, why don't you, Fang, and Ella head up to your room and just hand out for a bit?"

"Sure," I answered and Ella ran up the stairs to my room, Fang and I following more slowly. "Be prepared," I warned him, and he looked at me confused.

"What, pink room?" He laughed and I shook my head.

"_Heck_ no." I laughed. "Messy room? Oh, and a younger sister who thought I was making out with my brand new neighbor. That's all," I laughed.

"No offence, but I think it's going to be fun messing with your little sis."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

I stepped into my room confused. Was I in the right room?

"This is messy?" Fang leaned in to my ear.

"I thought it was…" Then I remembered. "I think I was cleaning when I was on the phone. When I get annoyed I clean. Weird, I know, but cleaning annoys me, and it's easier being annoyed by cleaning than someone."

"Who were you annoyed by?" He asked me.

Oops. "Erm, you." I laughed awkwardly. "Ella thought you were hot and usually the guys she thinks are hot are dumb fish. Oh, and dumb fish equals dumb butt. Like… d – u – m space b – a – s – s? Bass like the fish?"

He smirked. "Yeah, got that. _I_ call everyone a bass. I don't swear… You stole my word." He looked at Ella then. "I'm hot?" He smirked.

"Uhm," she began, and then glared at me. "Thanks, Max," she sneered.

"No problem," I laughed. I brushed my light brown bangs out of my eyes and went over to sit on my bed. I patted the spot next to me for Fang, and he came over. He stopped half way over, looking at my guitar. "You play?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yup," he laughed. Then he glanced at Ella. "Where have you been all my life?" He asked me, and I smirked.

"Uh, saving my sister's eyes, duh," I smiled, and her eyes grew larger.

"_I've_ been hiding from you," Ella replied, sitting in the corner.

"Yeah, yeah," Fang smirked, and handed me my guitar. "Play something."

"Ella," I called over my shoulder. "What song should I play?"

She was looking at Fang the whole time. "Walking By," she answered. It was her favorite song I could play, it was by Holiday Parade. "Sing it, too," she smiled, turning to look at me.

"_What_?" I stared at her. "No. You're the only person that's _ever_ heard my voice." I hissed, and she smiled.

"Do you really hate me that much, _Maxy-poo_?" Fang sneered in a joking way.

"Oh, not at all, _Fangy-poo_," I mocked him. "I just don't like my voice," I admitted, and Ella looked at me.

"I like it," she told me, and Fang's smile grew.

"Sing," he told me, giving me a puppy dog pout.

"No," I answered. He sat down on the bed besides me and widened his eyes, "Please?" He asked, looking up through his eye lashes.

"I will kill you one day," I told him with a serious face.

"Good, now play." He smiled. Hey, he never said si— "And sing." Dang.

I glared at the both but finally heaved a sigh and played.

_It's about we nights we spent locked up inside your room;  
It's about the morning breaking always just a bit too soon.  
It's about the way you're scared baby, just maybe I'm aware,  
This is what you need 'cause_

_Every time you walk in the room I tell myself I wanna be with you,  
With the mic, a quick check one, two singing out my lungs just to reach you.  
I'm alive and I keep my cool one more time, and you just keep on walking by. _

_I take a day to tell myself it's gonna end up fine.  
It's all part of some master plan, we're all a little lost inside.  
Even if I run right now, swore you off,  
I'd still come back somehow and here I am now_

_Every time you walk in the room I tell myself I wanna be with you,  
With the mic, a quick check one, two singing out my lungs just to reach you.  
I'm alive and I keep my cool one more time, and you just keep on walking by._

_I think I need to soak you in, for a while,  
I'm hanging on the best I can;  
Let go, 'cause maybe if I felt it once  
Then I could somehow feel it again. _

_Every time you walk in the room I tell myself I wanna be with you,  
With the mic, a quick check one, two singing out my lungs just to reach you.  
I'm alive and I keep my cool one more time, and you just keep on walking by. _

I finished with the last chord, and glared. "Happy, now?"

"Yes, yes I am." Fang smiled. "You're _good_." He chuckled lightly. The song had somewhat complicated plucking. I think that's the reason Ella loved it so much. "And your voice isn't bad at all."

"Ha. Ha. Ha." I said sarcastically.

"Hey!" Fang looked confused. "It's my room," He smirked.

I looked out my window to where he was looking. "I _told_ Iggy," I muttered under my breath and he looked at me weird. I deserved that look. Then I smiled. "Your turn," I smiled, and handed him the guitar.

"No," He told me, handing it back.

"Yes, this is punishment." I smiled. "Oh, and I hope you're a good singer."

"Maxy-poo," He said, glaring at me with a serious face, but he cracked a little when he said that. "No."

"Fangy… Yes." I handed him the guitar.

"Whatever. I don't know what song I'm doing. I have no clue what it's called. I like the guitar, though."

He started with really complicated plucking, I'll tell you that. It must've taken longer to learn that Walking By, even with the plucking in that song.

Then he started singing.

Holy crap.

I'll tell you this: That boy is a good guitar player.

And he has quite the voice, as well.

Need I go on?

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**Okay, so, I did make it so they were musical, but hey? I'm a band geek, I love guitar, and Fang just seems like that kind of person. **

**Max, too. Max is a lot like me, in a way. Hate emotions. Scared of love. Need I go on? Her character in this story is based off of me+Max Ride from the series. xDD **

**The whole music thing won't be a huge impact in the story. It'll probably just be a jealousy component or something with someone or something? I don't know. I'm working on the next chapter right now. Haven't gotten far into the story at all. **

**Reviews make me happy, **

**SO REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWW(:  
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	3. Freeman

**Hi, there. (: **

**Alright. This chapter cuts off pretty soon, but you'll find out why in the next chapter. **

**The next chapter is like 'holy shizz', too. **

**Anyways... **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. D: **

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Saturday. School starts Monday.

Ugh.

"Boo!" I heard a voice in my ear.

"Ahh!" I screamed. I looked around only to find Fang standing by my bed smirking. "Fang!" I hissed, jumping up. Then I remembered I was in short-shorts and a tank-top. Oh, whatever.

He was smirking, and I was glaring. "Your mom asked me to wake you up," he told me, and I grew mad at my mom. "It's eight-thirty. You told me to be here at eight with my schedule."

Oh! Right. "Oh. Whoops. Well, yeah, I kinda can't do anything until I'm dressed so hurry back on down stairs and I'll be down in a few." I laughed, turning him around and pushing him out the door.

I ran over to my closet, reaching into grab a pair of jeans. I reached in again, my hand hitting a hoodie. Oops. It fell. I looked at it, reading the back. 'Freeman'. Hmm? Why does that sound familiar?

I quickly went through everyone's names. Oops. Sorry, Sam. Boyfriend. Oops. That I forgot about. Hey, there, though. I may've forgotten about him, but what about me? He obviously forgot about me if he hadn't called. I mean, really? Who leaves their girlfriend alone for a month?

I grabbed a pair of blue jeans, a gray shirt, and I put my hair up.

After I got dressed, I ran into Ella's room. "Hey El?" I called, and she turned around. "Freeman, who is that?"

"Sam?" She asked me confused. Then she froze. "Oh my gosh! SAM! _SAM_!" She looked at me, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "Your boyfriend! And you made out with Fang!"

I smirked then, running out of her room. Oops. I grabbed my phone off the charger and began texting JJ, Iggy, and also Nudge. Yes, I did happen to be really good friends with my sister's best friend.

'Guys? Stupidity of moi on a scale of one to ten, one being stupid, ten being brainless. LITERALLY.'

I was down stairs then, running into the kitchen to grab my schedule. It was eight forty five, now. "Sorry, Fang," I laughed, and he smirked back.

"It's mm'kay." He told me, and I nodded. "Living room?" He asked and I nodded. We left the kitchen to go sit on the tan furniture, of course turning on the TV even though we weren't watching it.

"Mods uno y dos?" I asked.

"La historia," He answered sarcastically.

"La profesora Wilben?"

"Sí," He told me.

"Mi tambien!" I laughed, and we went on to the next mods. "Tres y cuatro?"

"Clase de cincias," Fang murmured, squinting at his paper. "El profesor Leu-cu-vl-lish?"

"Mi tambien!" I told him, growing excited. "Let's call him Mr. L? Oh, and Iggy and JJ are both in that class, too."

"Five-six?" I asked, speaking in English this time.

"Health," He muttered.

"Me, too!" I sang, but I realized he'd be alone in gym. "But, I took summer gym, so I don't have to take gym. So, can't help you there," I laughed, and he smirked back at me. "Seven-eight?"

He looked at his schedule. "Alegerbra two Honors, Rossoll."

"Me, too." I smiled again. "Okay, here is the part where we have nothing together. Nine-ten?"

"Lunch."

"Apart from that." I laughed. "Eleven-twelve?"

"Digital Photography."

"Yup, not there," I said, finding myself disappointed. "I've got band, then."

"Ahh," he murmured. "Thirteen-fourteen?"

"Spanish, Magrans." I answered.

"Spanish, Davis." He sighed. Dangit.

"Fifteen-sixteen?" I finally asked.

"English Honors, Sauer."

I smiled. "Yup."

"Awesome," he laughed. "All but art/band, Spanish, and gym."

"Yeah," I smiled. "This happened last year with me and JJ."

We sat there for a minute, but finally my phone started going off.

'10, def. ten, max.' Iggy told me.

'thanks…' I sent back.

'no prob. Y u wondering?' He asked me.

'sam… i forgot i had a boyfriend…' I sent.

'lemme guess, make-out session with the new neighbor?'

'NOOOOOOOO! i forgot about him though. for the past while. like three weeks.'

'idiot…' Iggy said.

Then JJ texted me back. And I didn't bother texting Iggy back.

'What sitch are we talking about here?' She asked me.

'i forgot i was going out with sam.' I told her.

'I did, too. Why does it matter, though? did you make out with your neighbor?' What the fruit, JJ?!

'NO!' I sent back to her.

'I'm confused, but you'll see Sam on Monday and start kissing just like old times.' She reassured me.

Or, well, _tried_ to reassure me. I just felt queezy at the thought.

Nudge hadn't texted me back yet, but I turned to Fang.

"Wanna hear a funny story?" I asked sarcastically.

He gave me a weird look where he raised and eye brow and the other one didn't raise. "Sure, why not?"

I laughed. "I have a boyfriend," I started, and his face looked impassive. "And I have forgotten about him for the past three weeks. To the point where I forgot I even had a boyfriend. And he hasn't called me. But I know I'll be attacked when I get to school on Monday," I grimaced and he gave me that look again.

"How long have you two been going out?"

"Ten months," I laughed. Oh, jeez. That just make it ten times worse.

"Wowwww…" He said, letting his voice drag out. "Maxy-poo had a blonde… month?"

I hit his chest, remembering what he said about his body. It hurt my hand again. "Okay, yes, I did. But he did, too. And by the way, you really should like… Stop being so strong. It makes my hand hurt."

This may sound… Weird… Really weird, and like, messed up… But I really wanted to see his abs. Just to see how strong he really was.

"So who is the guy?" Fang asked about two minutes later, after we sat in silence.

"Sam Freeman," I answered, and looked at my phone. I was contemplating on whether to text him or not. "He's a sophomore, too. He's really nice, and stuff, but if he hasn't talked to me in three weeks… It means he's forgotten about me, too. Everyone says we're going to be together forever. I don't know if I agree anymore. It'd be nice if the boy who supposedly 'loves' me bothered to communicate with me when I neglected to call him."

Fang smirked lightly and turned his attention to the TV. "So what'cha gonna do?"

I shrugged. "No clue. I really love him. At times. But I don't know." There was a knock on my door, my front door, and I hopped up to get it. "Coming!" I called, and pulled the door open.

"Max!" Iggy and JJ called, JJ coming in to hug me. "Two days 'til school…"

I laughed. "Yeah," I smiled, hugging my friend back. "What's with the random drop by?"

She looked at me. "Uhm, school in two days? I thought it'd be nice to see you!" She said in mock hurt and anger. "Plus I haven't talked to you. Considering you forgot to call us after Hell day!"

"Yeah, yeah. Who says I wanted to see you?" I joked and she laughed. "Whatever. Not my fault for forgetting. I was tired. Come on," I waved them in, shutting the door. I headed back towards the living room where Fang still sat, watching TV. "Up for meeting a few more people?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"Sure," he answered, still sitting on the couch. "Hell day? Gee, thanks. Now I know how you really feel," He smirked at me.

"Max, who was that?" JJ asked, following me into the living room after kicking her shoes off.

"Fang," I answered, waving him over. "My new neighbor."

She nodded, walking over into the door leading to the other room. Fang was standing up and she stopped. 'Holy shitoki mushrooms,' she mouthed at me. I laughed and Fang came up behind me, smirking.

"Hey," he said, looking at my best friends. "I'm Fang."

He seemed uncomfortable, really, and I wanted to pull a 'puppy-dog' as Fang had called it. Where you cock your head to one side? Yeah. Fang seemed so easy-going around me. Maybe we just clicked, or something. Or his parents forced him to be nice to me. I wasn't sure which one, but I hoped it wasn't the second one. If it was, he knew me way too well to not have really wanted to be my friend.

"Hi, Fang!" JJ smiled, and he smirked at her, standing behind me. Probably for protection. Hah. Chicken.

"Yo, Fang." That was Iggy.

"Yo," Fang responded, and I nudged his stomach with my elbow. Ow. "What?" He smirked at me and I turned around to look up at him. I hated him being so much taller than me. Now that was two people. I was still much taller than JJ.

"Nice, Fang. 'Yo,'" I mocked him, and he rolled his eyes at me. JJ was biting her lip, her eyes sparkling, and Iggy was smirking.

"What, would you like me to give them an opening monologue?" He smirked, hitting me upside the head playfully.

"Uhm, no." I laughed. They looked at us, exchanging a quick glance. "Sorry," I laughed, and then headed towards my room. Fang was the first to follow, seeming nervous around the others. I wasn't sure why, he'd gotten on with me and Ella fine, but I wanted to find out. As soon as we were all in my room, I sat down. "Shoot!" I muttered. "I forgot drinks. Four Mountain Dews?" I asked, and Iggy and JJ nodded, Fang shrugged. "Fang, come with?" I asked.

"Sure," he answered, jumping up off the bed to follow me.

* * *

**Max is so stupid, no? **

**I mean, how do you forget a boyfriend? **

**Anywho. No, Fang is not jealous as far as he knows. Or at all. Just yet. **

**Maybe. I don't know. xD **

**REVIEWWWWWWWWWW.  
**


	4. Who is your Daddy and who is your Mommy?

**This chapter is like... _Holy Shizzzzz. _**

**I like it, though. **

**Everything that you find confusing in this chapter will be explained soon. **

**Disclaimer: I OWN MAX RIDE. **

**In my mind. **

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Third Person POV(With Fang's thoughts, but not Fang's POV)

"Shoot! I forgot drinks. Four Mountain Dews?" Max asked Fang, Iggy and JJ. Iggy and JJ simply nodded and Fang just shrugged. "Fang, come with?"

"Sure," he nodded, getting up to follow Max down the stairs. She opened the basement door and half way down the steps she spoke again.

"Do you not like them?" She asked, probably nervous he didn't approve of her friends.

"Nah, they're alright," Fang shrugged. "I just don't know them. I'm not much of a talker." Max was eyeing him and he laughed gently. "Whoa, whoa." He chuckled holding his hands up in surrender. "You just drew the non-short straw."

He wasn't sure why, but when he had first seen Max… Something clicked. Like, he knew she would help him survive this place. When she started talking to him, the lock closed and she had a hold on him. Again, he wasn't sure why, but Max just seemed like his kind of person. And she proved him to be right.

Iggy and JJ seemed okay, he thought, but he'd have to actually get to know them. Sure, he got to know Max, too, but there was something that he found interesting about her right away.

"Yeah, yeah." Max sneered, eyeing Fang but grabbing four cans of pop. "Just try to get to know them. They're pretty dang awesome, and I'm pretty sure you and Iggy would be the best of friends. I don't know," she murmured, then started towards the steps. "Just loosen up _some_."

Her smile was impossible for him to not smile back at. They shut the basement door and headed back up to her room, joined by Ella, now.

"Iggy!" She smiled. "JJ!" Fang looked at her and sighed. Her smile was way too big. Not that it was a bad thing, he told himself, but it was just too… Ugh. Lovey-dovey?

Max and Fang walked over to the bed then, Ella looking at Fang. "Were you guys in the basement _again_?" She joked lightly, but he and Max exchanged a look, hiding the Mountain Dews behind their backs.

"Nooo…" They murmured, trailing off when her eyes widened.

"Max you have a boyfriend!" Ella hissed and the two burst out laughing. Ella looked taken aback while she eyed them, her face confused. "What am I missing?"

"Nothing," Fang answered reassuringly, and Max smiled up at him. "Nothing at _all_."

Ella backed away carefully, only to run into JJ's foot, tripping her so she fell backwards… Right into the arms of Iggy. Awkward? Yes. Funny? Yes.

Fang sat there silently, not even smirking, but he was amused deep down. Both their faces turned bright red and they didn't let go for about five minutes. Iggy was 'steadying' her. Sure.

Max grabbed her guitar then, beginning to play the same song she had played him at first. Walking By. All of the people in the room stopped to watch her as he fingers strummed lightly along the strings. She looked so peaceful he wanted to smile. But he couldn't. That's just how he was. Until he really knew people, he couldn't smile around them, unless it wasn't linked to them. He couldn't believe it when he smirked when Max introduced him to them in the kitchen. But they were turning out to be okay.

She finished, and looked up. She had meant for no one to notice, but when she looked up she blushed. He remembered two days ago when she had sang to him, and then he had returned the singing.

"Max," Ella said, still blushing from being in Iggy's arms—still—and then she looked up. "How come you're so good but you always say you suck?"

Max looked at her sister. "Random question, much? But, I don't think I'm that good, that's that."

Fang looked at her. She didn't think she was good? He had the urge to smack her upside the head. So he did.

"Hey!" Max complained and he barely contained his laughter. Just then the doorbell rang.

"I got it," Ella murmured, and Iggy _finally_ let go of her. She ran down the steps, and I heard two young voices, sounding oddly familiar. "Max!" Ella yelled. "Angel and Gazzy are here!"

"Bring them up!" Max called back and Fang froze. _Angel and Gazzy_? He heard three pairs of feet pounding up the steps. In the door stood Ella and two younger kids. _Angel and Gazzy_? He repeated in his mind, astounded.

"Max!" Angel smiled, running over into Max's arms.

"Hey, baby," Max smiled, hugging her back. "Guys, this is Nick, but call him Fang."

"I know," Angel smiled at me, pulling away from Max to wave at him.

"Oh?" Max sounded stunned.

Angel nodded, her blonde curls bouncing around. "That's my brother," she smiled, reaching out for a hug. Fang took her in his arms and hugged her.

Max stared, trying to process everything in her mind. "What?"

Gazzy spoke up then. "Fang is mine and Angel's half brother. Dad was married to his mom, but they got a divorce and both remarried. Fang's mom never had any more kids, but dad and mom had me and Angel. We haven't seen him since last year when dad and his mom got in a big fight."

"Whoa," JJ muttered from where she was standing by Iggy and Ella. Max's jaw was dropped, Ella's too, and Iggy and JJ just stood there confused. Fang hugged Angel tightly, still amazed at what was going on, but he realized his mom wouldn't have known they lived here. She may have known they lived somewhere in Arizona, but not in this particular city.

Max turned to look at him. "Why didn't you tell me?" She exclaimed, hitting his shoulder.

"I didn't know!" He told her, holding Angel on his lap. He had somewhat missed the little kid, and he smiled on the inside knowing that he could see his half-siblings now.

Angel smiled at him. "This is the best day of my _year_," She smiled and he hugged her tighter.

She always had a spot in his heart. A soft spot, that is. She could always make him do whatever she wanted and she could make him smile just by smiling. She seemed to have that effect on everyone, though.

"No offence, guys," Max laughed, "but Ange and Gaz… you're so _not_ like this guy," she laughed again, pointing at Fang.

He narrowed his eyes at her. What did she mean? "What's that mean?" He asked her and she laughed.

"Uhm, sweet, kind, caring, cute, adorable… versus kid who gives me a heart attack while waking me up, forces me to sing, and is bi-polar."

"Bi-polar?" He narrowed his eyes again. Did Max not like him or something? Was she just giving him pitty?

"Yeah, you're my best friend but when I get my other best friends with us you're different. Lots different."

"I don't know them," He pointed out.

"Yeah, and you didn't know me two days ago but you still talked to me."

"'Cause I had no choice," Fang said, but he saw a flash of pain come across her face. _Crap_, he thought. "I don't mean th—"

"So you only talked to me 'cause you _had_ to?" Her voice was pretty much a snarl now. Kind of daunting.

"No! At first, yeah, but after that it wasn't because I had to!"

He knew it was safe to say he knew her. He could see the look on her face now more than anyone else seemed to see. Then… _Oh, crap_, he thought again.

Iggy cleared his throat and grabbed Ella's and Angel's hands. JJ grabbed Gazzy's hand and they headed towards the door. "We're hungry," Iggy told them. "We'll be back in a while."

Max frowned, looking at her hands that were folded in her lap. "Iggy, you idiot! They're going to make out, now!"

Ella.

Iggy laughed, and Fang heard his voice even from in Max's room. "If I walk in on them sucking faces, I'll never let them forget it."

"Max," Fang said, turning to her. She hadn't looked up but he knew she had heard the conversation. "Look, I'm s—"

"Don't say sorry," she muttered, and finally looked up at him, a small smile on her face. "My fault. I'm not used to Igs, JJ, El, Nudge, Ange, Gaz, Tyler, Sam… Well, _anyone_ fighting back. I guess it was just a first. I wasn't expecting it."

He nodded, pulling her in for a hug. "Feel special," he murmured. "I don't do hugs." That made Max smiled and she hugged him back pretty tight.

"Then guess what?" She asked him and he looked down at her. "I feel very special."

He smiled and grabbed her guitar, and then handed it to her. "I've already heard your voice once," He pointed out, "now I want to hear it again."

She rolled her eyes while giving him an exasperated sigh, but still, she started singing.

And maybe that was when he knew they were best friends, closer than anyone ever before. Even in Max's life. He just knew.

Maybe that was when he fell for her… Without truly realizing it yet.

Just maybe.

* * *

**So, Max and Fang have a teeny arguement. **

**Angel and Gazzy are Fang's half brother and sister. **

**Max and Fang have a big arguement. **

**That sounds right. **

**Oh, and Fang falls for her. **

**But he doesn't know it yet. **

**REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW(:  
**


	5. School

**People are going to hate me, I think. **

**For this chapter. **

**For two reasons. **

**Disclaimer: I own the teachers. And the beginning of that song. Meaning, the whole song. Lo siento for its suckiness. **

**Sorry for any mistakes, I wrote it in my notebook at school, typed it up, and now I'm too lazy to self-edit.  
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"Holy shoes," I heard Fang mumble as I walked to the bus stop. Yes, bus stop. Way too early in the morning when it was still cold out, even in the summer. I could not wait until my birthday when I got a car(I had a father who was rich but never was me so he always guilty-ed himself and bought me stuff.).

Off of that, though. _Now_, it was my first day back to school and Nudge had spent the night last night. Now I was walking around looking like Barbie.

I wore my skinny jeans, the deep purple ones, but with that Nudge and El _forced_ me to wear a long tunic, they straightened my hair, curling locks here and there, so it was straight with loose, limp curls handing in it. They even put make-up on me. Sure, not much, but I was so not a make-up girl.

"Shut up," I muttered to Fang, rolling my eyes. Nudge and Ella were trudging behind me, all due to them waking up at _quarter to five_ to do what they would regret. Make me look like this. "Nudge and Ella attacked me."

Fang smirked. "I see that. You don't look like Max," he told me. "It's not you, but it still looks fine," he reassured me.

"Yeah, yeah. You're sitting with me on the bus."

"Sure," he frowned sarcastically.

"You're lucky you have someone who can read you. If I couldn't tell that was sarcasm your head would be rolling down the street right now." Okay, I know I was the one who said that, but really? Ew.

"Yeah, yeah."

Here's something I find interesting: I know Fang. Better than his mom, step-dad, dad, and step-mom. Better than _anyone_ else. And I've known him for four days.

Fang knows me. Better than Iggy, JJ, Ella, Nudge, and everyone. It almost felt weird, but I guess we just got each other. I don't know how or why, since I was unreadable and his face usually looked set in stone, but we could.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I _liked_ it.

We sat on the bus on our way to school as we talked about Angel and Gazzy. His mom really had no idea his dad lived in this city, let alone on this street. It was weird, but I felt oddly relieved that she hadn't known. If she had, they probably wouldn't have moved here.

And here comes my day.

It started by me getting off the bus and see an all too familiar face waiting. "Max!" The voice called.

Fang gave me a look and I gave him one back saying 'wait-for-it'. So he nodded once. The boy approached me and I had a small smile on my face. "Hey, Sam."

He wrapped his arms around me and I noticed Fang's jaw twitch. I would talk to him later. "Max!" He smiled again. "I'm so sorry I hadn't called you! I was at my sister's and my phone was broken. I got back yesterday and I wanted to surprise you," he explained in the voice that I had—surprisingly—missed.

"It's okay, Sammy," I laughed, hugging him tight. "I missed you."

Call me crazy, because this _is _my boyfriend we're talking about, but I really did miss him. I stood on my tippy toes as he leaned into kiss me, and we stood like that for a minute. Finally I pulled away and hugged him tight again. "I really did miss you."

"And I missed you," he laughed. Maybe this is why I forgot about him. Maybe it was so when I saw him again I could see how much I really liked him. No… How much I really loved him.

I let go of the death hug we were in and turned to Fang whose eyes were sparkling just a bit. It almost seemed like annoyance. Oh, right. That could be due to the fact I just completely ignored my best friend while I made out with my boyfriend.

"Oh, right. Sam, Fang. Fang, Sam."

Fang nodded to Sam but Sam gave one of his breath taking smiles. "You new?" He asked Fang.

Of course, Fang only nodded.

"Sam? I'm going to take Fang around the school and show him his classes. He's with me pretty much the whole day," I laughed, letting go of the hand I had held. "I'll see you at… I don't know when. Text me your schedule during homeroom."

He smiled at me, leaning into kiss me once more and then waved a good bye to Fang.

"So," Fang started when we were alone, "I take it that's Sam Freeman?"

I nodded, biting my bottom lip. _Please don't hate him, please don't hate him_, I thought over and over in my mind.

Fang seemed to read my expression, because just like Sam, he gave me an absolutely breathtaking-heart-skips-a-beat smile. "I don't hate him," He reassured me, but his eyes flashed momentarily. "I just don't know him. Due to, 'ya know… No offence but your sucking faces."

I rolled my eyes at Fang, hitting him upside the head. "Shut up," I laughed, not in the mood to get too pissed right now. "Oh _shitoki mushrooms_."

He looked at me, following my gaze. "Who is that?" He asked, sounding repulsed. I laughed.

"Lauren," I hissed. "School slut."

"Yuck, can we go, then?"

"Yes," I smiled, "Yes we can." I turned on my heel, but she noticed me, first.

"Maxxie?" She called in her ratty voice.

"Yeah, Laurie?" I growled through my teeth. I turned back around, my eyes squinted at her.

"Care to introduce me to the new guy?" She asked, batting her _fake_ eyelashes.

"Uhm, yeah, I do," I told her, grabbing Fang's wrist. "We both have to go."

I went to turn but she tippy-toed up in her heels to grab my wrist. "No, you don't have to go. We still have fifteen minutes before class starts!"

"Yeah, well, I don't want my friend to be permanently damaged on his first day, thanks."

"I knew he was too good for you," she snapped, letting go of my wrist. She tried so hard to be intimidating but it just didn't work. "Hi," she said in a flirtatious tone, walking over to him. "I'm Lauren. Ignore Max, here. She doesn't know that much. Sorry you pulled the short straw of her. I'll gladly take over the tour, however."

"Kiss my aft," Fang muttered, turning away with me. Everyone was staring at Lauren, then Fang, then Lauren, and at one point someone started a slow clap.

"Fang?" I asked, and he looked down at me. "You are my fricken _hero_," I laughed and he grinned back. My heart skipped a beat again.

We got to homeroom with four minutes to spare, and— surprise-surprise!—Sam was there! There were four to a table, so naturally, I sat with Sam, Fang, and Lissa.

Lissa was a red-head, and though not everyone liked her, I saw nothing wrong with her. She was nice enough to me, to Sam, and to all my friends, so we considered her our friend.

"Sam!" I called, just like this morning. "Guess you don't need to text me, now." I laughed, and he smiled. I sat next to him while he took my hand under the table.

"Home room, obviously," he pointed to our schedules. "Lunch, health, and English."

"Yeah," I laughed, smiling up at him. "All with Fang!"

That was when I smiled at Fang and saw something flash in her eyes. It was gone so quick I wasn't sure I actually had seen it. Lissa turned to him, then, her bright green eyes interested.

"So you're Fang?" She asked, stroking her red hair that was pulled into a loose side ponytail.

"Yup," he answered, looking at his twiddling thumbs.

"Well," she said, looking at his schedule over his arm, "I have health and gym with you, digital photography, and Spanish." Great. The two and a half classes I didn't have with him."

Wait. Why did I care? That's right. I didn't. I did _not_. I could not. It wouldn't make sense.

Oh. Maybe it would. Yes, yes is _would_ make sense.

He was my best friend. Duh.

Fang nodded. "Cool, at least I know someone in those classes." He didn't smile, but he was already talking to her better than Igs and JJ. Humph. I didn't like it, but I tried pushing it to the back of my mind.

"We really need to catch up," Sam laughed, stroking my blonde-brown hair. I smiled at him but I knew it was forced. I was too confused at the moment. Fang also knew it was forced. He narrowed his black eyes at me not even a fraction of an inch but I sure noticed it. No one else would have. No one else _did_.

I responded my raising my eyebrows _maybe_ a millimeter as if to ask 'what?'

His dark eyes then became an almost unnoticeable scowl and I sighed. Sam and Lissa looked at me and I shook my head. "Sorry. I'm thinking," I laughed, forcing another smile. I was a good liar, I must admit, but not to Fang. I am _still_ amazing by this… Just sayin'.

He raised his eyebrows again, this time not only for me and I flashed him a look that said 'Shut-up-I'll-tell-you-later-possibly-…-maybe'. He gave me an annoyed look but I just turned back to Sam. I opened my mouth to talk but I was interrupted by the bell. "See you in health," I smiled, real this time, and inclined my neck to kiss him.

He kissed my back until I reluctantly pulled away. Fang was waiting by the door for me. "So lover-boy is off the hook?"

"He was never on one," I snapped. Why did he care? He just held up his hands in surrender as I sighed. "Sorry, Fang. I just can't believe I forgot about him when he never stopped thinking about me. I guess it just happened so I could see how much I really love him."

"Sorry," Fang murmured and I shook my hair, glaring at him. He had no reason to be sorry. "Fine," he muttered, and then changed the subject. "So what was with you before?"

I shrugged. "No idea. I just had this weird feeling in my stomach."

"Oh… Kay?"

"I know, weird." He looked up at me while we walked, and soon we were outside of B212. "Here's our room," I told him.

"Yup," he agreed, popping the 'p'. We walked in, sitting down next to each other.

Mrs. Wilben walked in, setting down a pile of papers and books. She smiled sweetly at me; I had seen her last year a few times and she was very sweet.

"Max, right?" She asked me. I was honestly shocked she remembered my name.

"Yeah," I smiled. "Hi, Mrs. Wilben. This is Nick, you can call him Fang, though." I decided I liked her.

"Hello, Fang," she smiled at him. He waved with a mumbled 'hey' and I elbowed him in the side. Ow. I really _really_ need to remember this kid is like… Zero percent body fat. He smiled then, more at my pain than politeness, but he aimed it at the teacher. She wouldn't know anything.

"Well, would you two like those seats? I understand Nick—oops! Fang!— has just moved here?" She asked, smiling. "I'll change the seats if you'd like."

Yes, I definitely liked her.

I looked at Fang and he shrugged. Obviously. "Sure," I answered, and she nodded. She grabbed a pencil and started erasing something, then started to write.

"Okay, those are your seats," she smiled, and I returned it. I thanked her and turned to Fang who was writing something.

"What'cha writing?" I asked him, not bothering to look over at it.

"Song," he announced. He wrote songs?

"You write songs?"

"Yup. A broken heart is the best poet," he looked up and smiled at me, momentarily making my heart skip.

"Broken heart?" I questioned, raising my eye brow at him.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Not exactly a girl, but just… A confused heart. I miss my old home. I didn't have many friends, but I at least had more than a few. I'd count two or three good friends that I really _talked_ to. But I'm confused, because I miss there, but I've talked to you more than anyone. Ever. I don't get you."

My eyebrow shot up higher and he smirked. My heart skipped again. What the Hades? Stop it, heart.

I smiled back. "I should try writing a song sometime." I laughed. To my surprise, he nodded.

"You should. Not to say you have a broken heart, but your life is way to screwed up," he laughed, starting to talk again before I could yell. "That's not a bad thing, but if I'm the only one that can read you, and I have only known you for a few days… I find that messed up. You're the only person I can talk to easily, for example, now. I can't talk in sentences unless I'm near you. I don't get it."

I simply shrugged, and the bell rang. Mrs. Wilben was seating other people, so we simply sat there. "Yeah, that confuses me, too." I admitted, reaching for the note book. He handed it to me and I began to read.

_Don't know where I belong. _

_Compared to here, home just seems so wrong. _

_Maybe I held on for too long, _

_I know it's not right toe let it all be, _

_Leave my friends, let them forget about me, _

_But the thing about her is she makes me feel so free. _

_I don't know where life is taking me _

_But where ever I fly I'll just fly free. _

_I'm not gonna waste my time on today, _

_I won't waste it on yesterday. _

_I'll just spread my wings and fly forward, _

_Fly forward, where maybe – _

It ended there, and I looked at him. "Holy shitoki mushrooms," I laughed and handed it back to him. I had to admit I really wanted to know what the last line of the chorus was going to be. Unfortunately, he folded the notebook closed and put it back on top of his other supplies, and smirked at me.

"I might show you the song when it's done. Maybe."

I laughed, pushing his shoulder. "You better." I thought about it then. Maybe I could write. It would be fun. Not only songs, but Fang and I could show each other our songs and stuff, maybe. Possibly. We'd get to spend more time with one and other.

Why did that idea seem so appealing to me?

* * *

**Two reasons you probably all hate me? **

**One: Lissa isn't the slut. Sorry, but I never thought it was _her_ fault. She was nice enough to Max when Max went to get Fang to look for Angel in SOF.  
**

**Two: Max falls for Sam again. **

**So, I think you should REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. **

**But not insult my song writing skills. I tried to imagine how Fang would feel and you saw how well that worked out... **

**But anyways. **

**(: **

**(Yes, I will end every chapter with that. If I've already said it but I put something else, I will put it again.) **

**(:  
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	6. Sappy Reunions

**Okay, here's the next chapter. Sorry I didn't update the past few days! **

**Wednesday I got my braces tightened. And I have twelve springs. OW?! **

**Thursday(yesterday) I went to this collage concert. On group plays and as soon as they finish another group starts. There is absolutely no time to applaud in between groups. And the groups were spread around the auditorium so it was like whiplash. One group was on stage, the next in the balcony, the next in the hall aisle, then on the stage, then in the aisle, then on the other side of the aisle and so on. It was pretty awesome(: **

**Today, I becamse BEYOND PISSED. This girl in which pretty much all of my friends hate, including me, who thinks we're her friends but always talks about us behind our backs... She went way to far this time. I am about to shoot her. If I could with out getting punished, I would. I would KILL HER. I swear, the world would be a better place if she weren't alive. She's hurt everyone so much and she made three of my friends and I cry today. **

**I'm SICK of her. **

**Disclaimer: I own people who are not originally in Maximum Ride and the plot. **

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"¿Cómo estás?" I snapped, glaring at Fang. We fell into this routine daily. We would speak in Spanish, and since Lissa was the only one who spoke Spanish in our group, and she usually wasn't there, everyone thought we fought. Constantly**(A/N: This was BGPixieQueen77's idea. I liked it. :D)**

"Más o menos," Fang growled. "¿Y tú?"

"Regular," My voice was a hiss and I was now inches away from his face. "Tengo ganas de hambre."

"Yo también," He told me, stepping closer. "¿Comemos?" Fang screamed at me now, and I nodded.

"Sí!"

We turned towards the door to my room, racing down the stairs.

Of course, being us(Fang and I), we ran into the kitchen, tagging the refrigerator as the finish line. "I win!" Fang announced as he tapped the stainless steel appliance.

"Yeah," I admitted, partially out of breath. Sure, it wasn't long to the kitchen from my room, but still. Racing with someone who is inhumanly fast? And strong? That makes you run faster. That forces you to use air. The usage of air makes you out of breath. Get it? Good. 'Cause, … My logic confused me.

I reached for the handle, grabbing it and pulling it open. Fang reached in over my head, grabbing the box of pizza. "Impatient, much?" I muttered, turning to him. I grabbed the pizza from him and our arms touched. This was rather normal. When he and I were near each other, we were side by side. It wasn't natural for us to be in the same room and not be right next to each other. Thankfully I was near him in most classes. Well, all of them apart from health. He sat next to Lissa in there.

Call me crazy, but when I saw her flirting with him and he actually _grinned_, I would bet my face turned the color of her hair. Why? I don't know. I'm crazy? My stomach flipped as I thought about that. He had been talking to her at lunch, too. It really bugged me.

But, why should I care? I have Sam, and actually, she was his only friend in Spanish and digital photography. He might have had a few others, but they at least talked. He never spoke of anyone apart from our group, so I assumed everyone just left him alone.

God was I wrong.

He had been here for three weeks. Time flies, doesn't it? But anyways, after three weeks, last night he confessed _twelve_ girls have asked him out. He'd been asked eighteen times. Take away the other eleven faces and you'll find Lauren. Asking him out seven times. He told me not to over react, but I did anyway. I went on a complete rampage. I even called her to tell her to stay the 'thuck' away from Fang.

Yes, thuck. What does that mean? Say it out loud. What's it _sound_ like to you? Yeah. Now you get it, don't you?

"Give me a piece!" I wailed at Fang who had grabbed two pieces.

"Fine," he smiled. There were still five pieces left, but Fang grabbed one of his and acted like he licked it. "Here ya go," he told me while holding it out to me.

"Yeah, you really licked it," I muttered, grabbing it. Ew. "Eww! Fang, you really _did_ lick it!" I glared at him and tossed the slice back. I went over to the box and grabbed two for myself. Everyone else was still up in my room. Everyone else being Iggy, Ella, JJ, Nudge, and also Alex. A sophomore in which Nudge liked. Thank goodness I was friends with him, Nudge loves me, now.

I walked into the living room, followed by Fang, and I sat on the couch. He sat next to me, grabbed the remote, and flipped on SportsCenter. "Celtics playing Cavs?" He asked. I nodded. "Eastern states… Cleveland and Boston. Why's it playing here?"

"Eastern conference, I think." Yeah, go ahead and laugh, I loved watching basketball.

"Ahhh," Fang murmured, taking a bite out of his pizza. "So," he started nervously, trailing off.

I turned to him confused, looking at his eyes. "So?"

"What?" He asked, looking at me.

"Don't chicken out of whatever," I snapped, glaring at him.

"What are you talking about?" Sure, his voice was innocent but his eyes and face weren't.

"Want to know something? You can't lie to me. I know you far too well. So don't be a chicken and spit out whatever it is."

In the next second, he raised his plate to his face and spit out the pizza. "Happy? Can I go back to eating, now?"

Glaring at him, I smacked his arm. "Tell. Me."

"Max, I have nothing to tell you," He lied easily. Almost. His eyes kept flickering. _That's_ what I was uncomfortable with.

"Your eyes apparently do," I retorted, staring into his eyes, practically getting lost. I hadn't turned away yet.

"I—"

"Don't say you have no idea what I'm talking about," I hissed.

"How did you _know_ that?"

"I know you," I answered, taking a bite of my pizza. "Now, would you care to explain?"

"I wouldn't _care_ to," he sneered, "but I apparently _have_ to."

"Yup, so… Do tell," I told him, leaning in.

"Okay—" The doorbell rang.

"You better thank the lord," I muttered, jumping up while I set my pizza down. "Coming!" I called. I walked to the door, hearing Fang following closely.

"Max!" Angel cried when I opened the door. She ran inside and hugged my legs and I bent down to hug her back.

"Hey, baby," I smiled. Yes, I called Angel baby. She was like my little girl. She was my baby. I loved her, she loved me.

"Fang!" She smiled when I let go of her. She ran up to her and he knelt down, letting her run into his arms. That girl had a serious hold on his heart.

"Hey, Ange," he smiled as she kissed his cheek. "Where's Gaz?"

"He's over at his friend's house," she frowned. "I asked daddy if I could come see Max." She smiled at him. "Look what I have!"

Angel reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a small folded photograph. Fang unfolded it slowly, smiling. I paced over to look over his shoulder to see what he was looking at. It was a picture of him, Angel, and Gazzy on a beach. Fang was holding Angel—I'd guess she was around three or four in this picture—and Gazzy was dumping a pale of water on Fang's head. They were all smiling.

"Dad kept it hidded," she muttered, pronouncing 'hidden' wrong. Probably due to her pouting voice. "When he stopped talking to your mom he took most of the pictures with you in them away."

I exchanged a look with Fang, confused. He still had yet to talk to his father again. "Maybe we should go see him," I suggested, looking at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Yeah!" Angel exclaimed. "He misses you! Lots."

We set off towards the house and Angel ran ahead, right across the street. "What did your parents fight about?"

"My mom said that my dad was drunk one night, and he hit me. That was the divorce," Fang admitted. "He promised to never get drunk again, but she still left him. I had to get surgery when I was three. Because well… 'Hit me' isn't what he did, he threw me, and I could've died." I felt my lungs take a quick and sharp breath, but he carried on. "We went to see him when he was on a business trip near us and he was drunk again. Mum yelled at him and he hit her. And me. She told him if he ever talked to him again she would get a restraining order and he would never be able to see me again. He was planning on waiting until I was in college. He really feels horrible for what he did when I was a baby. He's been the best dad since, apart from the last time I'd seen him."

"Whoa," I murmured. "I'm so sorry," I told him, looking him in the eyes. We'd been standing at the end of my drive way, Angel was waiting at the ends of hers, and Fang was just shaking his head.

"Don't be. I didn't die, and I can still see him," he told me, but I still didn't move. He rolled his eyes, grabbed my hand, and pulled me across the street. His hand was strong and smooth. It fit perfectly in mine. Oh, jeez. Whatever.

He didn't let go of my hand. I guessed he was scared of facing his dad again, so I let my hand rest in his, giving his a gentle squeeze when Angel opened the door and called her dad down. I really loved Mr. Johnson. He was so easy-going and fun and carefree, but at the same time he was serious and careful.

"Daddy!" Angel called, running down the hall that led to her living room. I heard the TV on and I guessed he was watching the game. Fang stood out of view, shaking his head.

"My mom is going to kill me," he laughed lightly. I squeezed his hand again and he smiled up. "Good idea, though. I miss him."

"Yeah, sweetheart?" Mr. Johnson asked Angel.

"Come here!" She squealed, and I saw her blonde curls pulling her dad around the corner.

"Hey, Max," he smiled, approaching us. He saw my arm stretched out and the other hand in mine, and his eyes became confused. "Who's with you?" He asked, stopping at the door.

I squeezed Fang's hand yet again and pulled him next to me, in view of his dad. "Err, hi?"

Mr. Johnson looked confused for a minute and then it obviously cleared up. "Holy crap," he murmured. "Son?"

"Yup," Fang answered. "We're the new neighbors. I guess you'd have forgotten that Mom remarried so we're the Kennedys', now. I guess that's why you had no clue we moved in."

His dad blinked. "Nick?" He said in shock. "I didn't think I'd see you until you were in college," he admitted, walking outside to hug his son. "Holy crap," he muttered again.

I guess that's something you never really notice until something like this happens: Your first born always means more than words can say. Unless the words are 'holy crap' when you see them for the first time in fourteen months when you weren't expecting to see them for a few years.

"Yeah," he laughed, hugging his dad back. "Angel and Gaz came over to Max's when I was over. Kinda surprised me."

Mr. Johnson was rubbing Fang's back and Fang was just standing there. We went inside after that, and I grabbed a bag of chips for us to share. Yes, this house is mine as much as mine is. Mrs. Johnson loves me, and so does Mr. Johnson, and obviously Angel and Gazzy do, too.

So, in the living room we sat there while Fang and his dad talked. Don't you love sappy reunions?

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**So, the next chapter is REALLY short. **

**The chapter after that is PRETTY DANG LONG. **

**I think its longer that 2800 words. **

**Anyways, **

**REVIEW. **

**Make me forget about the evil girl who loves ruining lives. **

**REVIEWWWWW.  
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	7. It's not nothing

**Okay. This chapter is somewhat short. **

**The next one is over 2500 words. (:**

**ANYWAYS! I saw Dear John today. It was honestly AMAZING, in my opinion. (: The ending(meaning the very last two minutes) could've been better but apart from that it was AWESOME(: **

**Also, thank you all who insulted my *cough* 'friend' *cough*. Made my day. ((: **

**Also, I thank the person who corrected my Spanish. I'm in Spanish one... however, the 'yo tambien'... I never said that before my friend told me it was that. She was in Spanish two. But, either way, thanks about the mas o menos thing. I couldn't remember how to say bad. I knew it started with an 'm'... It was mal er something like that. **

**Disclaimer: ): Plot only. **

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After the sap fest Fang and I returned to my house smiling. His dad hadn't touched alcohol since the incident.

"So, about before…" I started, glancing over at my best friend. He tilted his head as we sat back down on the living room couch. "what were you going to tell me before Ange came?"

Fang shook his head, his black hair swaying with the movement. "Nothing, Max."

"Fang, it's not nothing," I told him but he kept shaking his head. "Why won't you just freaking _tell_ me?!"

My voice held anger but I knew he could also pick up the desperation. "Maybe I don't want to?" He asked like it was a question. Ouch. That kind of stung. Like, pretty bad. I recoiled and he saw the flash of pain in my eyes. "Not like that, Max." His voice was gentle and reassuring but I was slightly p.o.'d at him.

"Then how?" I snapped. For the past month we'd told each other everything.

"I just don't want you or anyone else to know," he shrugged. "You'll find out eventually. Actually, you'll probably find out soon. Real soon."

I stared. "Then why keep it a secret?" I hissed.

"You really want to know so badly?" I could hear anger in his voice, now, like he knew I wouldn't give up, like he knew he wanted to tell me.

"Uh… _yeah_?" I asked in a 'duh' voice.

"I lied to you," he told me simply. Ouch. You know how that thing when he didn't want to tell me stung? This stung worse. "I do like someone… And that someone asked me out."

Okay, I couldn't help it. My jaw dropped. Fang had a girlfriend? "Since when?" I narrowed my eyes dangerously.

"What? No 'who'?" He asked. "Since Tuesday." It was Friday.

"Why didn't you _tell me_?!" I screamed. I heard someone coming out of my room upstairs, and then I heard Ella's voice calling down.

"Max? Do we need to separate you two?" She asked in a teasing mother voice. I wasn't in the mood.

"Ella, shut up and get back in my room," I snarled from the living room. I heard her voice and Iggy's from the top of the steps. I knew they were coming down. "Come down and I kill you, too."

"Hey, we like Fang, no need to kill him," Iggy told me from the bottom of the steps. A few seconds later he was at the door.

"Igs," Fang said, "I agree, go back up. I won't let her kill me. She'd cry afterwards." He was smirking and Ella showed up. "Go." He told them.

Both reluctantly backed away and I waited until the door to my room closed again. Voices murmured from upstairs but I ignored them. "Why didn't you _tell me_?" I repeated.

"Still no 'wh—"

"Fine! Who?" I snarled.

"Lissa."

I froze, then. Huh? That caught me off guard. Suddenly, I didn't think of Lissa as a friend anymore. I was uneasy. Huh. Nice, Max. Just hate her because she likes your best friend. And your best friend likes her.

_No_, I ordered myself. She was nice. He had a reason to like her.

"Oh," was all I could manage to say.

"We haven't kissed," he told me, and for some reason that calmed me down. Some. Not much. But some.

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me!"

"Liss wanted us to keep quiet. I did, too. We wanted to see if we really did like each other. I've been wanting to tell you but I didn't because of that. And, I really think I'm actually starting to like her…" His voice trailed off until I realized he wasn't saying anything else.

I had to admit. I was _jealous_ of her. No, _not_ because she was going out with him. Not that at all. But Sam always showed me off. Fang was… I perfect gentleman to her. And they'd been going out only a few days.

Another thing was Fang and I. I wondered if him having Lissa would come in between us two. I needed Fang more than I needed Sam. He was my best friend, my comfort, and he was like a brother to me. Sam was my boyfriend, who I loved, but I didn't tell him much, and I didn't need him as much as Fang.

Now I was wondering if Lissa would replace me. My stomach knotted up and, somehow with the weird way we have, Fang looked at me and practically read my mind.

"Max," he started, moving closer to me and grabbing my hand. He squeezed it gently before continuing. "You're my absolute best friend. Why? I don't know," he smirked, and I glared at him. "I _mean_ we know each other way to well," I laughed at his voice and let him talk again. "But nobody can ever take that place from you. That is _your_ place. I'm not kidding. Okay, yes, I am really starting to like someone," he admitted shyly, "but you love Sam. Isn't it fair if I can have someone for when you're out with him?"

I may be seeing things, I couldn't tell but I think I was crazy enough at this point to be imagining things, but I would've sworn something flashed in his eyes when he mentioned Sam. Did he not like him?

"Okay," I finally agreed. "But I swear, if you forget about me," I began and he cut me off with a laugh.

"I don't think forgetting about you is possible," he smiled, squeezing my hand again.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but I swore something was going to happen. Something was going to change. Something had changed. Or would. I knew it. Not sure _why_, but I just had this feeling.

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**More of a filler chapter. **

**Next chapter is the one you've all long awaited. **

**But for now, you should... **

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	8. Crying

**Okay, so, this chapter is mainly the reason this story is rated T. xDD It's nothing BAD, but it's not GOOD either. xDD **

**Anyways. **

**That girll..... Sarah grave her a note the other day. Friday. She Facebook IM'd Sarah and we're finally free from her((: **

**So, this chapter should make some of you happy. **

**Disclaimer:This is really making me depressed. James Patterson is not named Courtni, there for, Courtni doesn't own Maximum Ride. **

**Courtni is moi. d: **

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"Max," Sam told me seriously, his chestnut colored hair falling into his hazel eyes. "If you loved me you would do this."

I snorted, pulling away from him. "_No_," I snarled, glaring at him. "If _you_ loved me you would _shut_ the h up and drop this."

"I do love you," he murmured, pressing his lips to mine again, "but why should I drop this?"

"Because I said to!" I shrieked, shoving his chest away from me. "Do you love me or not?"

"I do, but give me one reason we can't—"

I cut him off there. Today was the day that marked our year of being together. "One reason?" I snarled at him, jumping to my feet. "Fine, that reason is that you only do that with a _girlfriend_. As of now, you don't have one."

I stomped out of Sam's room, towards the front door. I heard him behind me, grabbing my shoulder to turn me around. "Max," he said my name softly, pushing me up against the wall gently. "Why?"

I glared at him as he leaned in to kiss me. I moved out of the way and stared at him. "Because we're both _fifteen_ and in this past month I've had enough of you. I _thought_ I loved you, and I _thought_ you loved me, but _forget_ that!" I yelled at him, shoving his shoulders so he flew into the wall on the opposite side of the hall. "If we loved each other," I growled, my face inches from his, "then you would shut up. You would have shut up about this two weeks ago. You would have accepted what I said and you—"

I was cut off by his lips, much like I had been in the past few weeks. I was pissed. He was holding me against him as I struggled, so eventually I threw my knee into that special spot that guys have and he loosened his grip. I kneed him again and this time he dropped. When he was on the ground I spun around towards the door and started running once I got out of his house. My mom wasn't supposed to pick me up for another three hours and she was at work, so I had to walk seven blocks home. Somewhere in the time period I began to cry. Hard.

When I saw my house I ran inside, slammed the door shut, ran up to my room, and slammed that door, as well. I collapsed on my bed, shaking.

I heard the front door open and close and then I heard someone on the stairs. I swear… If it was Sam…

I rolled off my bed so anyone in the door way couldn't see me, and slid under the blankets that were draped on the floor off of my bed.

I heard my door open slowly, and I held my breath. "Max," I heard a voice call. My sobs grew and soon enough they were heaving out of my chest. Yeah. He would find me. "Max," the voice called again.

He walked around to the side of my bed where I was and stared. I peeked my head out of the covers and glared. "What?" I snarled.

"Get up," he told me. I didn't move, so he bent down next to me. "If that's how you want it," he murmured, pulling me close to him. He pressed his lips against mine and I shoved him.

"Get. Off. Of. _Me_!" I shrieked, jumping to my feet. Sam got up then, too, wrapping his arms around me.

"Nah," he whispered. "You were just kidding before. I know you. You wouldn't break up with me over something we _both_ want."

He pressed me closer and pushed his lips against mine. _Again_. I continued struggling against him, but I couldn't move. His arm was wrapped around my waist, holding me against him so you couldn't fit _air_ between us. His other arm was wrapped around my neck, holding my face to his.

He forced his tongue into my mouth and I bit down on it. Hard. "Max," he muttered against my lips.

"What _happened_ to you, Sam?" I asked. "I really used to love you. What happened to you?"

"Nothing," he answered, then pushed his lips to mine. I still struggled, but eventually, I was worn out. I began sobbing mid-kiss and just let him do whatever. "There we go," he smiled to me, shoving me on my bed. His hands ran along my body, under my shirt and down my legs.

He grabbed one of my knees, hitching it around his waist. While he attempted to take my shirt off, I began to struggle again. I shrieked with our lips together, shoving him as hard as I could. I couldn't take it anymore. I kissed him back, confusing him. When he was distracted, he pulled away, and I bit his neck, making him moan. Perfect.

His gripped loosened just barely, but still enough. I pulled away, jabbing my foot into his stomach as I ran out of my own house. The boy who I _swore_ I _loved_ just ran me out of my house. I ran into the back yard after I slammed the front door behind me. I knew he wouldn't think I was that stupid, or smart. Or he just wouldn't think of it.

I was right.

I leaned up against my house, sinking down into the grass. My chest burned from sobbing too much, and soon the fence leading to my yard opened. I didn't move. "Max?"

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding as I looked up. Fang.

"Fang," I cried, literally crying. I jumped up and stumbled over to him, hugging him forcefully. I clung to him, crying into his shirt and he slowly wrapped his arms around me. When I cried harder, his arms tightened to the point where I could barely breathe.

"Max," Fang murmured in my ear. "Shhh…" I knew he was lost for words. He took me back over to where I was when he first came back and sat me down on his lap. "What happened?" He asked gently, letting my head rest on his shoulder. His question only made me cry harder.

My boyfriend of one year had just attempted to rape me. How was I supposed to tell my best friend that? How was I supposed to tell anyone? I couldn't breathe, for goodness' sake! "Max," he shushed in my ear. "Calm down." Oh yeah, calm down right after you were nearly raped.

"How did you know I was back here?" I sobbed, pulling myself closer to him for comfort.

"I saw you run back here. A minute later I saw Sam run out of your house and down the street, calling your name. He looked like a mad man, chasing after nothing. When he was out of sight I came back to see what happened."

Of course, hearing Sam's name, I cried harder yet. I really don't get myself at times.

"Maximum Ride Martinez," Fang hissed after about ten minutes. My tears were all cried but my chest was still heaving. "What the h happened?"

I looked up at him, his eyes were more than worried. I grabbed a fistful of his shirt and wrapped my other arm around his neck. I pulled myself closer and laid my forehead on his neck. He stiffened a bit, but soon calmed down.

"Fang," I murmured. "He… Like, tried to, like…" I couldn't find the words.

"Did you guys break up?" He asked, his voice concerned. He may not like Sam, but he apparently cares enough about me to be sad if the guy I loved broke up with me. I nodded into his chest. "I'm sorry, Max. He's an idiot, anyways."

I shook my head. "I broke up with him," I choked out.

"Why?"

"I swear, if you tell my mom I will friggen kill you," I told him, trying to make my voice strong. Epic fail.

"Max, I won't."

"He tried to like, rape me, Fang," I whispered against his chest. I could've sworn he turned into a rock, then.

"That. Effing. Bas-crap." He snarled through his teeth. "I should thucking rip his head off," he muttered, his eyes flaring. He jumped up, easily supporting me in his arms, and he carried me out front. He opened his front door when there was a voice behind us.

"Hey!" Sam snarled at Fang. "Leave her alone."

Fang laughed. It wasn't a laugh. It was an _evil_ laugh. Like he was plotting Sam's downfall. I hopped he was. He set me down inside his house, but my legs gave out underneath me. I sat in the open doorway, watching Fang turn to face Sam. "Sam," he answered through clenched teeth. I would expect he still had the smile on his face. He walked up to Sam, then, his back to me. "I suggest if you want to keep your pretty face you get the heck away from me. Within the next second."

"As –"

Fang pulled back his fist, snapping it back into Sam's face, connecting it with his nose. I'd say he used a little more than half of his strength. I still heard the crack from about twelve feet away. "What the h—" Sam began, but Fang threw his fist in an uppercut, slamming into Sam's chin. He flew up in the air a few inches and fell to the ground. Ouch. Fang probably used most of his strength there.

Fang threw his foot into Sam's ribs before leaning down into his face. "Come near Max one more time and you'll think that you've never been hurt before then."

He turned back towards me, grabbing my hands and pulling me up. He wrapped his arm around my waist and grabbed mine to wrap it around his neck. When we were far enough inside we both turned around to see Sam stumbling around, turning towards his home after glaring at Fang. If looks killed, my funeral would be coming up pretty soon.

Fang kicked the door shut, carrying me into his living room. His mom was at work and his step-dad was out of town on a business trip in Arkansas or somewhere.

Gently, Fang pulled me back on to his lap. "I'm sorry, Max," he murmured soothingly in my ear. "So, so, _so_ sorry."

"Don't be," I whispered, letting Fang just hold me.

I'm not sure how long we sat like that, but I do remember at one point Fang turning to me. "I… Uhm, I broke up with Lissa."

What? When? Why?

"Why?" I asked.

"Not sure," he told me. Liar. I wasn't in the mood for a fight, so I let it go. For now.

"Okay…" I murmured.

"I finished the song," he told me a few minutes later. "Guitar and everything."

"Oh?" I laughed, pulling away from his shoulder to look at him.

He nodded, picking me up. "Where are we going?" I asked confused.

"My room."

Oh. We got there after he carried me up the steps and took a left. It was exactly like my house apart from in my house you took a right into my room.

Gently, Fang sat me on his bed and moved to a chair which his guitar was near. He picked up and began strumming, and soon he was singing.

"_Don't know where I belong.  
Compared to here, home just seems so wrong.  
Maybe I held on for too long,  
I know it's not right to let it all be,  
Leave my friends, let them forget about me,  
But the thing about her is she makes me feel so free. _

_I don't know where life is taking me  
But where ever I fly I'll just fly free.  
I'm not gonna waste my time on today,  
I won't waste it on yesterday.  
I'll just spread my wings and fly forward,  
Fly forward, where maybe I'll make sense of me. _

_I lost my way for a while.  
Lost in the dark for what feels forever,  
I've put more than just miles  
Between me and what home used to be  
That old house in the back yard tree,  
It's rotting down as if to tell me; _

_I don't know where life is taking me  
But where ever I fly I'll just fly free.  
I'm not gonna waste my time on today,  
I won't waste it on yesterday.  
I'll just spread my wings and fly forward,  
Fly forward, where maybe I'll make sense of me. _

_How did this all happen?  
Why did this all change?  
It feels like I'm a new person,  
I'm not the same,  
I'm just too different now,  
She's got a hold on me,  
She's got a power over me.  
She sees me differently.  
She sees me. _

_I don't know where life is taking me  
But where ever I fly I'll just fly free.  
I'm not gonna waste my time on today,  
I won't waste it on yesterday.  
I'll just spread my wings and fly forward,  
Fly forward, where maybe I'll make sense of me. _

_I'll just spread my wings and fly forward,  
Fly forward, where maybe I'll make sense of me,  
Yeah, she'll be flying under me,  
Yeah, I'll make sure she's with me…  
When I fly forward, 'cause she's got a hold on me._"

His guitar strummed one last chord and we were both silent.

"It's not my best song. Far from it, actually," he admitted, setting his guitar done and coming to sit with me. "But it's still probably my favorite. I don't know how I lived without knowing you for so long," he admitted, and I stared at him. The song was for me?

Slowly, I reached over and wrapped my arms around him. Truth be told, I wasn't sure how I'd survived not knowing him, either. "Me either," I smiled while I whispered into his ear.

He wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me.

I held him tighter, still, pulling away only when I could hardly breathe.

His doorbell rang, then, and he stood up. I hid at the top of the steps, wary. What if it was Sam?

When he opened the door, though, it was Lissa. She looked sad, but she stepped inside. "Can I ask why? We never even _kissed_," she told him, and he shrugged.

"I don't know, Liss. I just didn't feel the same." He frowned, and I knew he felt bad. When had he broken up with her, anyways?

"We never even _kissed_. What if that is all you need to realize you really like me?"

Fang opened his mouth to reply but she didn't give him a chance. She threw her arms around his neck and smashed her lips against his. I wondered silently how Fang would push her away without hurting her or insulting her. Guess I found how.

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. My stomach flipped, and I wasn't in the mood for this. Silently, I walked to his room, picking up the guitar after I closed the door.

I couldn't believe what I'd just seen. At all. I didn't want to. So, instead, I silently began strumming the chords to Walking By. My favorite song. I hummed the words as quietly as I could trying to hold back tears. I was barely successful, but I managed.

Somehow.

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**I don't care which, you should just review. d: **

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	9. Running Away

**So, a few people asked about the song. **

**You won't find it on Google, considering I wrote it, but if I ever get time and it is requested, I'll whip up some guitar and put a recording of it on YouTube. But I warn you, I am not an amazing singer. I can at least sing in key, though... So, if you want to hear the song just let me know. **

**This chapter has actually happened to one of my friends before. Well, the Max part. The part in her room. So, yeah. **

**Disclaimer: D: Must I say James Patterson is not I so I do not own Maximum Ride? D: **

**Yes, I must. Not sure WHY, but oh well. **

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About four songs later, Fang returned to his room. I was fighting tears. It was a full out war. The Maxican-A_tear_ican War.

"Max?" Fang said softly as he sat next to me. I was playing Learning by Green River Ordinance. I paused to look up at him, and soon, yeah, this is cheesy, but I was drowning in his midnight eyes. "I didn't get back with her," he clarified.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding and I was relieved. Why? I don't know. "Yeah?" Was all I said, though. It was all that came to mind.

And, then, _of course_ with my life just being screwed up like always, in less than a minute we were leaning towards each other. Soon, our lips were pressed together.

Oh, god. Oh, jeez. I took a breath through my nose while my mind wandered. It did everything but register that I was kissing my best friend.

We broke apart a few minutes later and that was when it hit me. Crashed on my like a freakin' tidal wave.

Fang and I, my best friend and I, had just made out.

I sat there unable to move until it became undeniable.

Fang kissed me.

I kissed Fang back.

_Fang_, my best friend.

_My best friend_, Fang.

Whoa? Yup.

Holy crap? Sure got that right.

Ick? … I have _no _clue!

I kissed my best friend! It wasn't bad. At all. I loved it. I… Really did like it. Love it. Loved making out with my best friend.

_Not_ good.

Luckily, I heard my mom's car. Oh. I never told her about how she didn't have to pick me up from Sam's. I wonder how much Sam told her.

"Crap," I muttered, not making eye contact with him. I jumped off the bed and ran out the door. "Gotta go!" I called over my shoulder.

I ran through the front door, through his yard and over to my own. "Mom!" I yelled as she stepped out of the car.

"Max!" She cried back. "What in Hades happened? Why did Sam look like crap and why weren't you there?"

I couldn't tell my mom this. I could tell no one this. Apart from Fang. Who _kissed_ me! But I kissed him back…

Aha! We both just needed comfort! Hugs aren't exactly his thing. Duh. That's why I liked it. It was comforting.

"Nothing, Ma," I answered. "We broke up. I guess he beat himself up about it."

"After a year? Why today, Maxy?"

"_Nothing_," I growled. I never used any kind of voice like that with my mom. _Never_.

She flinched back, but soon her arms wound around my back. "I'm sorry, baby girl," she murmured in my ear. "Who ended it?"

"Me," I stated. I felt tears threatening my eyes again.

"What did he do that made you break up with him? I thought you really liked him?"

"_I_ thought I _loved_ him, mom. He did something and that is _it_," I hissed. I felt a tear rolling down my face and unwound her arms from around me. I ran inside and up the stairs to my room, then over to my night stand. There was a picture of Sam and I there. Slowly, I reached down and picked it up. It was at our six month. At a bowling alley. On the night he first told me he loved me.

Suddenly, I couldn't hold in my emotions anymore. I threw the picture frame at the wall, letting it shatter into pieces. "You freaking _liar_!" I sobbed, sinking to my knees. Eventually I pulled myself on to the bed, and looked out my window. Fang was watching with his window open, obviously waiting for me to open mine. Through all my tears, I forced myself to my feet and over to the glass. I pulled the window open and looked at him.

"Yeah?" I called in a choked voice. Window communication. Why didn't I think of that?

"Want me to come over?" He asked, letting his voice carry over the distance. I thought about it and sighed. So, yeah. I was freaking out about the kiss. I was confused and mad about it, but I knew I needed him.

"Please?" I finally said and he nodded.

He slammed his window shut and I saw him walk out of his room. I closed my window and literally crawled back over to my bed, landing on glass on my way. There was a piece lodged in my hand, now, and there was another piece clinging to my jeans. I honestly barely noticed.

I pulled myself on to my bed as I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I laid across my bed, covering my face with my forearm. Soon, I heard my door creaking open and Fang scream, "What in _Hell_, Max?"

I looked up warily and saw what he was talking about. Across my carpet was blood. I looked at him and he was staring at it, and he reluctantly lifted his head to me. I ignored him and just laid there. He came over to me and pulled me into a sitting position then smacked me upside the head.

"What the heck?" I asked through the non-terminating tears.

"Look, I know you're depressed and stuff but you don't need to go all emo and cutty and crap!" His voice was thick with anger and I just stared at him. He took my hand and turned it over, starting to pull a piece of glass out carefully. It was right on my wrist, 'ya know? Where those veins are?

"I didn't mean to," I managed to choke out. My jeans had a red spot forming on my lower thigh and Fang glared at me harshly.

"Whatever," he muttered. "Either way you're a freakin' idiot." Fang told me, prying the shard out of my wrist. After a few minutes of him gently pulling and me wincing every time the glass came out any further, Fang dropped his hand and looked up at me. "Get up," he ordered me. He must have seen the confusion on my face because then he announced, "I'm taking you to the hospital."

I shrank back into my bed when he told me that. "No," I said through clenched teeth. "I don't care if you hurt me. I'm not going to the hospital."

"Max," he began and I looked away from his concerned eyes. "Even when I get it out you'll still need stitches. I might manage to get the glass out but I can't give you stitches. And I'm pretty sure you might need a few on your leg, too."

Sub-consciously I cast a glance down at my leg where the once-blue-jeans were now staining red. "You can't take me. You can't drive."

"My dad can. Your mom can."

"No!" I shouted at him. "Just pull the god darn shard out!" I hissed at him, and, although he obeyed, he didn't stop glaring at me. Two minutes later his patience ran out and he gave up with trying to be gentle. He took both sides of the glass and pulled. "Ow!" I shrieked and glanced down at my wrist. It was completely red. Then I noticed something else. Fang did, too.

"Max, you have to go to the doctors," he hissed through his teeth, staring at the lump in my wrist. A piece of glass had apparently broken off at some point and was now deep in my wrist.

"No, Fang." I began to knead the lump towards the flap of skin until I realized… It was a flap of skin. It wouldn't heal normal. It wouldn't stop bleeding. Especially considering that it was on a spot that bled. And bled. And bled. And bled… And bled.

"Max," he snapped after I started leading the lump towards the cut. "Now."

"No," I repeated. I knew I was going to lose this battle but it was all I could hope for to try.

"You're just making it bleed more," he explained, struggling to hold on to his patience.

"So?" I asked, tears running down my cheeks.

"We're going," he told me in a sure voice. I was about to argue but he didn't gave me a chance. Gently, he scooped me up in his arms, easily supporting me. "Your mom or my dad?" He asked me. I didn't answer so he started down the steps. "Your mom it is."

"No!" I wailed. Not a good idea.

"Max, honey?" My mom called from the living room. I heard her foot steps on the wooden floor of the kitchen and I glared at Fang. "Fang, why are you carrying her?" She asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Uno momento, Doc." He told her as he stepped down the last five steps. She obviously noticed my jeans because she was looking near my knee with her jaw wide open.

"Max!" She screamed.

"That's not all," Fang muttered, glancing pointedly at my wrist. My mom gasped as glared at me.

"If you were going to act like this why did you break up with him?" She exclaimed.

"I didn't mean to!" I argued back. "If you don't believe me go look in my room. There's glass on my floor." I was much calmer than I thought I would be. Maybe it was the sound of Fang's heart beat in my ear. He was holding me bridal style and my head was against his chest.

"Not right now," she answered, jogging over to the door. "Come on, Fang." She called. We headed out the door and into the blue Ron de Vouz. Fang sat in the back allowing me to sit in his lap.

After my mom closed the door for him I glared at him. "Thanks." I growled. "And, you do know I'm capable of sitting in my own seat, right?"

For the first time since Fang called me through the window he smirked. "Yes, I am aware of that, however, getting you out would be a heck of a lot harder."

"I am capable of walking, you know."

"Yes, and you're also capable of running. You seem to hate the hospital. I wouldn't be surprised if you ran away if I put you down." Dangit. "See?" He smirked again at my expression.

"That's enough," my mom told us from the front seat. "Fang, you can let Max walk when we get there and Max you will _not_ run away."

We both nodded in agreement and in fifteen minutes later my mom pulled into the semi-circle drop-off. "I'll be in soon, Max. Go to the front desk and explain what happened." I nodded to my mom and Fang pulled me out, setting me on the ground. I stumbled when I took my first step, almost falling face first into the ground.

"Told you," Fang murmured.

"What did you tell me? You told me I _could_ walk, you idiot."

"Okay, well maybe you've lost a little too much blood. Try taking a step with your cut leg." Fang ordered me. I nodded and did as he told me, screaming in pain as soon as it was done. "Probably lodged some glass in there, too." I heard him mutter something along the lines of 'idiot' and I shot him the bird. He wrapped his arm around my waist and wrapped my arm around my neck like he had done earlier that day.

I avoided putting much pressure on my cut leg and only when I was inside did I realize my cut arm was around his neck and I was bleeding on his shirt. "Fang," I started, looking at his shirt, but he obviously knew what I was thinking.

"I don't care, Max." He promised and I nodded once. He led me to the front desk and the middle aged secretary or whatever looked up.

"Yes?" She asked, smiling at us.

"Uh, I think I need a few stitches, according to him," I answered, nodding at Fang. The woman looked at him, and then me.

It took her another moment to notice my hand and she gasped. "What happened?" She asked me and I told her a picture frame had fallen, broken into pieces, and I crawled over them on accident. "Okay, is that your mother coming in?" I turned around to see my mom walking through the doors and I nodded.

I turned back to the receptionist as my mom joined us. "Did you explain, Max?" My mom inquired gently. I shook my head. I had told her how I hurt myself. My mom still didn't know. Mom frowned and took a step towards the desk. "She needs glass removed from her wrist and possibly her right leg, too, and she needs quite a few stitches." She explained. The lady nodded quickly and paged the doctors.

Within five minutes I was in a room with and IV in my arm. Apparently I had lost too much blood and that's why I was dizzy.

Sometime later I was put on drugs so they could remove the lump of glass in my arm. I was so tired after that I didn't remember anything until the next day.

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	10. Soft side

**HIIIIIIIIII. **

**So, I just typed up this awesome-sauce entrance thing authors note and GUESS WHAT?! **

**The tab closed. .-. **

**Since I'm too lazy to type it all up again, here: **

**1) Any freshman/sophomores take a math test, lately? One that wasn't required? We call it the AMC test. It compares our scores with those in the USA. Of course, it was hard. .-. Thirty people were allowed to volunteer. Barely twenty did. I was one of them. .-. **

**2) I won't be updating as much, anymore. Expect an update or two from each story every week or two. I've been REALLY busy lately. .-. **

**3) Once I finish up one of my stories... How would you guys like another story... Well, not really a story, but a rewrite of MAX. In _Angel's_ POV? It was just an idea I had when everyone seemed to be all like: ANGEL WAS A BRAT IN MAX. So, I thought, hey, what if she had reasons? And I ended up thinking up reasons for the things she did. So, I think it would be fun. o: **

**4) HERESSSSSSSSSSS THE NEXT CHAPTER! (IYA and LAtW readers, those stories will be updated soon.(: ) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. **

**Claimer: I own the plot. **

**By the way, everything in this chapter has actually happened to my friend. So, yes, it is possible. xDD **

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I woke up to a steady beeping sound, realizing I was connected to a monitor. Was this all necessary? I had needed stitches. Whoop-dee-doo. I turned my head to the left, noticing Fang settled into a seemingly uncomfortable arm chair. "What the heck is all this for?"

Fang gave me a 'holy-crap-you're-so-friggen-stupid' look. I raised one eyebrow and he sighed. "They didn't stitch you up until they were sure all the glass was gone. Took them a long time 'cause of your stupidity." I glared at him but he was not deterred. "When you tried to get it out by yourself you damaged a muscle and forced another lone piece of glass further into your arm. Since they couldn't stitch you up as soon as they planned, the blood continued to clot. They had to unclot it at least ten times, causing you to lose even more blood.

"Your leg also had a shard in it, so they planned to pull it out easily. Unfortunately, since it was unknown of, the glass rooted itself in your leg and they had to perform another surgery." I wasn't sure what my face looked like right now but I was sure it was something like O_O or x-x. I hate surgeries. I have no idea why but I hate them. I had two done without knowing.

"Okay…" I started weakly when Fang pulled his body out of the recliner to approach me. "So, I'm fine, now… Why am I still here?"

"The surgery took an hour or two… _For your leg_. Almost three or four hours for your wrist. You could've been out of here if you hadn't been so stubborn and tried to get the glass out." His face was impassive but I saw humor creeping into his eyes. "You know," he began, smiling. "They want to put you under suicide watch."

"What?" I hissed and the heart rate monitor quickened. "And?"

"I told them I would handle you and it really was an accident. I don't think your mom believes it, with what happened with Sam and all, but she didn't say anything. I promised to look after you. That calmed her down."

I looked at my best friend and eyed the chair. There were blankets. "What day is today?" I asked.

"Monday."

Oh. Wonderful. "I was asleep all of yesterday?" I asked. I thought it was Sunday. Fang nodded. "Why didn't anyone wake me?"

"Tried. Apparently you were on some drug." He sniggered. "You talk in your sleep," he told me and my cheeks flushed. "I had a full out conversation with you at midnight."

"Great," I snorted. "Two things… Midnight? And what did I say?"

"Yeah, midnight. My mum said I should stay with you. Considering I'm your suicide watch." He smirked as he sat down on the side of my bed. "And you were talking about us—our group—and how Iggy and Ella are pissing you off since they are both so blind. You said Alex and Nudge were adorable together, and said how much you hated Sam." He stopped there, his eyes flashed, and I could tell there was something about Sam he wasn't telling me. "Uhm, you said something about 'Angel, my baby,' and Gazzy. You pretty much went through how you feel about everyone. JJ would always be your best friend and I would—" He cut off there looking thoughtful. Something in his eyes shifted before he spoke again. "I would always be your best friend and number one."

"How did you have a conversation with me about that stuff?" I asked curiously.

"I prompted you, saying things like, 'And Iggy?' and you would tell me about him. I would have sworn you were awake."

I remembered the Sam expression then. "What did I say about Sam? You left something out," I explained. He shook his head and gave me a look.

"You had night mares about him. You would scream at him in them. The doctors had no idea what to do," he told me and I gasped. Stupid trauma. "Anyways, your blood level is getting better, but the docs said you're in here until tomorrow, and you'll be on crutches until the stitches are out. So, like, you don't risk reopening the cut which I don't get at all because won't that make you re-open your wrist cut?" I stared at him in dismay as he finished speaking. "So, Max. What does this teach us?"

"Don't throw glass and then crawl over it?" I offered.

He nodded. "And…?" He prompted.

"Don't try and get glass out of my wrist without professional help?"

He nodded, smirking. "I do have to thank you, though." He laughed. "You got me out of seeing Lissa and killing Sam. I don't have to go to jail, now… Yet." His lips turned up in a breath-taking smile.

"You never told me why you broke up with her. Or when."

"I texted her after I wailed on Sam."

"Why?" I asked, stunned. I didn't remember him texting, but then again, I was incredibly out of it.

"I just didn't feel the same," he lied. I gave him a dark look. "What?"

"Stop lying." I pouted, crossing my arms. Well, attempted to. I couldn't bend my arm with the IV in it. "Ow! Shitoki mushrooms!" I screeched, straightening my arm out. My arm was slightly throbbing but I didn't mind. "Why?" I said through a tight jaw as I composed myself.

"Max," Fang said sternly. "I am not lying." His few seconds of worry when the IV hurt me were replaced with annoyance.

"Yes," I said. "Yes, Fang, you are. That might be part of it but there is more you're not telling me!"

"Because I don't know what you're talking about!" He nearly snarled at me.

"Yes you do!" I told him, certain I was right. I knew him. I could read him. He was scared of what my reaction would be to whatever he was thinking. I saw it in his face. His expression and body language. I heard it in his voice. I could tell from his eyes. I just knew. "You really shouldn't lie to me, Fang."

"Oh, really? Why? Why can I lie to everyone else and not you?" He snapped. I always wondered why we always fought. And why I always hated when we did. And what the tightening of my stomach was.

"Whatever, Fang! But you can't lie to be because I can see right through you! I know when you're lying, just like you know with me." I promised him and sank into the pillows, relaxing. I was more than annoyed. More than pissed. More than _hurt_.

"Max…" Fang said slightly. I could still hear annoyance in his tone but I ignored it so I could really only hear the pain and sincerity. It proved that I wasn't the only one who was hurt by our fights. I didn't respond, however. Instead, I turned my head away. "Max," he repeated, grabbing my hand. My eyes snapped open as I felt electricity pulsing through my arm.

"What?" I asked exhausted. "All I want to know is why you broke up with a girl you told me you were really starting to like. Why can't you just tell me?"

He glared at me for a moment and finally spoke. "You were freaking lost without Sam. After less than an hour. You needed me and I really didn't feel the same."

So… It was about me? I wasn't mad, but I wasn't happy. "Fang, you shouldn't have done that because I was alone." I murmured, looking him in the eyes. His eyes were clear, his face impassive, and his hand strong around mine. I suddenly remembered the kiss earlier that day. Or, wait. No, a couple of days ago.

Fang was staring at me, probably wondering what I was thinking. "What are you thinking?" He asked right on cue.

"Nothing," I shrugged.

"You know how I can't lie to you?" He asked me. I knew where he was going with this. "Well you can't lie to me, either."

"I know, but you don't need to know what I was thinking about."

"Really?" Fang asked, almost hurt. Good, now I got back at him for when he wouldn't tell me about Lissa. Took me a while to get back, but I finally did. "How come it can't be like that with me?"

"Okay, here, let's make a deal. You tell me what you're thinking about, I'll tell you what I'm thinking about." I told him. He nodded.

"But, I'm not sure you want to know what you want to know what I'm thinking about," Fang admitted. I glared at him. "Fine." He muttered, and then something else inaudible. "Okay, I told you. Your turn."

"It has to be so I can actually _hear_ Fang." I told him.

Within the next ten seconds, however, he was hugging me, and then he murmured something like "I have to go."

"Why?" I asked. "I thought you had to stay with me to make sure I didn't kill myself?" I teased.

"Ha-ha." Fang muttered sarcastically. "I'll stay, but I'm tired, so I'll sleep. I haven't slept in over twenty-four hours."

"Why?"

"I didn't want to miss you waking up and freaking out," he smiled and my breath caught in my chest.

"Thanks," I muttered as I glared at him. He let go of my hand he had been holding and crawled back to the recliner and closed his eyes.

Soon enough, he was asleep. Smiling.

Smiling in his sleep.

Aww. Fangy-poo _does_ have a soft side!

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**I think 'ya should. **

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	11. Anne Hathaway

**! **

**I'm soooooooooooooooooooo sorry! **

**lemme explainnn! **

**Okay, so, my boyfriend was accused of cheating on me. He didn't. But that sure... alhldskjfhlkjhalrkjhdlfjkh! We'll have been going out sixteen months on his birthday; April first! :D **

**Other reasons: So, my history teacher called me a liar and defiant. To prove him wrong I've been working my butt off. **

**Also, I've been... Just... BUSY! **

**Josh, Sean, and them and people were touring OSU, and stuff. o: **

**Then, my parents have been all like, YOU WON'T MAKE IT IN TO COLLEGE! and stuff, and I've just been really... **

**UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! **

**This chapter is rather short, crappy, filler-ish, and pointless, but I have a plot, soon, I promise. **

**ALSO! **

**I READ FANG! **

**I cried. **

**Twice. .-. **

**Disclaimer: I'll make sure to be JP on Halloween so I don't have to post this for at least ONCE! **

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"You're an idiot," I laughed, swatting at Iggy.

"But I'm your idiot," he smiled at me, poking my side. I jumped and yelped, moving away from Iggy. Right into Fang's lap.

"I think you're both idiots," Fang added, smirking.

I jumped off his lap in record time and almost blushed. Almost. Thankfully I was already too red-faced from laughing that they couldn't tell even if I had.

Five days ago I got out of the hospital, now it was Sunday.

I glanced over at JJ and Ella who were playing some Guitar Hero-like game on JJ's iPod touch. I think it was called Tap-tap or something. Weird name. Both girls were laughing, casting occasional glances at us. I still hadn't told them what happened with me and Sam, and apparently Sam had said something along the lines of, 'Fang didn't beat me up, I got hit by a car.'

"So, Maxie-poo," Fang laughed, "how many idiots do you have? First Sam, Iggy, JJ, Ella…"

"Hey!" JJ and Ella screamed in unison, forgetting about their game.

"_You_?" I added on to his list.

"Oh, nooo," He chuckled in the way only he can. "I'm no idiot."

"Oh, really?" I asked, eyeing him with sarcastic suspicion.

Remember that kiss that happened a week ago? It was completely forgotten about.

"Yes, really," He smirked, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, really… So, what was William Shakespeare's wife's name?" I asked.

"Anne Hathaway. What does that have to do with being an idiot? That would deal with being insanely smart, like myself." He smirked again.

"How do you _know_ that?!" I exclaimed.

Fang laughed from where he sat and stood up, walking over to me and reaching his hand down to help me up. I took it, feeling an electric pulse shoot up my arm when our arms connected. I released my grip and began to fall backwards, from where I was half way off the ground.

When my butt hit the ground I threw my hand up to cover my mouth and let out a muffled squeak, shocked at myself. What had just happened? Was Fang like, two percent eel or something? It'd be better if he were bird. The eel thing hurt me. If he were a bird he could take me flying.

"Max?" Fang asked, his voice showed just the tiniest hint of concern.

"Fang?" I retorted, heaving myself to my feet.

"Come on, I'm thirsty," he told me, heading towards the kitchen, and then facing the basement. We always went down to get drinks with each other and just talked with each other. Normally we were down there for fifteen to twenty minutes.

I heard Ella whispering to JJ. "That's code for, 'come on, I wanna make out,'" she told her, thinking her voice was lowered enough that I wouldn't hear.

"Yeah, and when you say 'hi, Iggy,' _that's_ code for 'ZOMG Iggy I love you so fricken much and I think you're so fricken hot and amazingly and insanely awesome and if Max ever cared to tell me that you like me as much as I like you I'd tackle you and start making out with you but she's never told me that so—" I paused to take a breath, "—I'm desperate right now, so I wanna know why Max can't just say, 'oh by the way, Iggy told me he thinks you're beautiful and have a great personality and thinks he's falling for you.' Because she's just that mean and won't tell me that!'" I finished, gasping for breath.

Both Ella and Iggy were flushed red and JJ was staring at me. Fang, who was behind me, walked around towards the front and looked at me. "Oh, good. Just making sure Nudge wasn't wearing a Max costume." He said, keeping a straight face. I rolled my eyes and headed towards the basement.

"So, Fangy-poo," I smiled at his nickname. Only I could call him that. Lauren _tried_ calling him Fangy. Ha-ha. That didn't go over well.

"Maxie," Fang smirked, pushing my shoulder. "What?" He asked, looking down at me.

"I don't know. I just want to thank you," I told him. "For everything. Mainly for coming into my life. If it weren't for you… I'd… I'd be lost right now. And… You know you're my best friend, right?" I asked him. He nodded. "I swear, that makes you the most important thing ever. And that song you wrote? Oh my gosh, that was just so _amazing_! I just… Want to thank you so, so, so, so, so, so, so, _soo_ –"

"Max?" Fang cut me off.

"Huh?"

"Or Nudge," Fang suggested, smirking. "Shut up. I have just as much to thank you for. You're my best friend, Maxie-poo," he crooned sarcastically. I hit his chest. "Look, we both suck with emotion, but I figured it is only fair that if you have your two minutes of mush I get them, too. Not that I want them, but you get me talking, Max. And smiling. And I don't feel absolutely alone all the time. I never do, anymore. Because I know that you'll always be there for me. And you know that I'll always be there for you."

"Sap," I stated, but I couldn't contain the gleeful giggle that escaped my lips. "Thank you, Fang," I smiled, then wrapped my arms around his waist. Tentatively, he returned the gesture, resting his chin on my head. My stomach was churning, now, just from Fang's touch, and I tried to ignore the feeling.

For some reason, I just couldn't.

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**REVIEW, pleaseeeeee! **

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**Also, decide on which story you want updateed before the other: **

**LAtW or IYA. **

**o: **

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	12. Lauren is a female dog

**Okay, this chapter and the next chapter have a little foreshadowing. ;D **

**But, there is still a little more before we get to what everyone wants. **

**You all know what you're waiting for to happen. o: **

**Anyways: **

**Disclaimer: Last time I checked my name was Courtni, not James... **

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Today was Monday. It was the first time I was returning to school since the incident. I could've gone back earlier, but _noooo_, I was still in poor shape and needed more time for my strength to build back up.

Well, I guess that's fair; more power when I wail on Sam later.

Anyways.

I walked in the door to the school with Fang next to me, and walked with him to my locker.

"So, Max," I heard a shrill voice behind me. "How's it feel to be single after a year?"

"Oh," I shrugged, turning to face Lauren. "I don't know, why don't you tell me?" I questioned, then paused long enough to let her open her mouth like she was going to reply. "Oh, _wait_! You wouldn't know! You'd know what it's like to be single after, let's say… A week? Or rather a one night stand?"

Lauren's face twisted in anger. Her minions glared at me until I returned their gaze, causing them to flinch. "You should watch it, Maximum. And at least all I have to do is be with a guy with a week until another _wants_ me! No one ever wants you, you hopeless bi—"

"Oh, shut up," Fang finally broke in, rolling his eyes at the redhead. "If anyone is a female dog here, it's you. Don't know what a female dog is? Look it up. And if your intelligence level is too low, just look in a mirror."

I had to stifle my laughter. That was probably the longest thing Fang had said to someone outside our group and it was so totally worth it. Lauren's face flashed with embarrassment and then anger again.

"Fangy? Why do you always side with this little freaking freak?" She asked, attempting to pout.

Fang's face remained stoic and straight as he replied. "I don't ever remember siding with you…" He admitted, confused.

Red-head's face fell and so did her mouth. I heard laughter filling the hallway around us and it took all I could to not double over in fits of giggles and laughs.

"Lauren!" I heard a tenor voice call from behind me. I didn't bother turning around. I didn't want to. "I suggest you shut up."

"Oh, really, Sammy?" Lauren cooed. "You're defending the girl you dumped?"

My jaw dropped. "He did _not_ break up with me!" I snarled, whipping my head around towards the boy I thought I'd loved. "Though he was the _reason_ that _I_ broke up with _him_!" I shouted, punching him square in the face, hearing the satisfying 'crack!' of his nose beneath my fist. Fang had broken it once, and it was still healing from that.

Fang put a hand on my shoulder and murmured to me, trying to calm me down. I ignored him.

"And _you_!" I growled, turning back to Lauren, fire burning in my brown eyes. "Why can't you just leave one person alone for longer than a second?" I shrieked. "You realize no one is actually your _friend_? They're all just scared of their reputation! Well, guess what? I don't give a flippin' fruit about mine, so go ahead and make everyone hate me! Oh, wait, you _can't_ because I have _friends_ who won't listen to you when they're told to _hate_ me! Which is more than you'll ever have!"

I turned on my heel, kicking my locker shut as I stalked away. Fang jogged after me, placing his hand on my shoulder again. After I slowed down he pulled on my shoulder, leading me over to a wall so we could talk.

"Max," he breathed, his minty breath caressing my face. "Calm down," he pleaded, still seeing the fire in my eye. My jaw was still tight and my shoulders were still squared. "Max," he repeated louder. I looked up into his eyes and froze. He was much closer than I had realized, and this allowed me to take in every detail of his face that I could.

I saw his eyes so close that I actually recognized that they were truly such a dark brown they appeared black from further away. I saw the golden-silver flecks within them and also the star shaped outline around his pupil that most people have. I saw the freckle just off to the left of the center of his nose. I noticed how flawless his skin actually was, clear of all blemishes. I realized the perfect symmetry that his lips had, the perfect placement of his eyes, and all the angles of his face.

"Right," I mumbled under my breath. "Sorry." I added on.

"It's okay," Fang chuckled lightly. "They deserved that, but now they got it. So, yeah. Calm." He told me, rubbing my arm. I was breathing like a person taking yoga, trying to slow my racing heartbeat. Fang's close proximity wasn't helping with that. "Maxie-poo," Fang cooed sarcastically, "calm yourself."

"I'm trying!" I whined. "Let's just go to your locker, okay?"

"Sure," Fang shrugged. "But don't be mad, por favor."

"What?" I asked as we started towards his locker. When we got there it all cleared up. I froze. "Why didn't you tell me, Fang?" I snarled, grabbing his arm to turn him towards me.

"There was nothing to tell?" He said in a questioning voice.

I scoffed. "Oh, right, nothing to tell your best friend about. Just get back with your ex-girlfriend without telling me!" I hissed, turning on my heel and heading towards history. Great. He was in that class. And sat next to me.

"Max. Wait," he said, grabbing my shoulder.

"No!" I growled, pulling my shoulder away from his grasp and hurrying up the B-Wing steps. I rushed to the classroom and sat down in my seat after slamming my books down on my desk.

"Max?" Mrs. Wilben called in a confused voice.

"Present," I muttered. I heard a chair backing up and then footsteps heading towards me. I was so happy this was my favorite teacher who was seeing me like this.

"Max, what's wrong?" She asked me gently.

"Fang," I mumbled. I looked up and saw her nodding.

"Max, best friends do fight. But if you and he are in a fight, don't run away from him. Work it out. I would offer to change your seats, but Max, trust me, you and Fang are best friends. I'm not going to let this fight go on." Her words made sense, but I didn't care about that right now. That was _twice_! He didn't tell me about Lissa at first, now he didn't tell me again! He just let me find out by the way her face perked up when she saw us coming. When she was standing at _his_ locker! "What is this fight about?" Mrs. Wilben's voice cut into my thoughts.

"Fang is just being… Fang." I explained. "Lissa White, his ex-girlfriend, now his current girlfriend, was by his locker. He didn't tell me the first time he was going out with her, and then he broke up with her. This is the second time and he doesn't tell me. _Again_!"

Mrs. Wilben nodded her head. "I see. But at the same time, _you_ _don't_ see, Max," she told me. I raised my eyebrow at her. She giggled. Yes, my history teacher giggles. I swear, she is a high school girl in disguise. Well, not even disguised, she looks maybe twenty-five at the oldest; she could even pass for a senior. She was one of those girls who looked like she could be any age. "Max, trust me. Fang had to have had a reason for not telling you. Or maybe you were wrong. Did they hug? Or kiss?" She asked. I shook my head. "Well, then, you idiot," she laughed, "Don't jump to those conclusions. Fang is your best friend; don't let a wrong assumption come in between you two. Also, don't be mad at Fang for being friends—or maybe more—with another girl besides you. You'll both figure out you're supposed to be together eventually."

I froze. Whaaaaaat?

"What?" I managed to get out, but she was already walking back to her desk, and the warning bell was now ringing. Fang was the first one in the class. Oh, how wonderful. Like I can talk to him after everything that just happened.

"Max!" He breathed. He was breathing hard so I assumed he had just run around the school. "Of course," he panted, "why didn't I think to check in _class_ rather than every hallway in this school?" He added on to himself.

"Err, hi," I said awkwardly, sending a glare towards Mrs. Wilben who was grinning at me subtly.

"Max, Lissa is _not_ my girlfriend. But we are friends. Trust me, please?" He pleaded.

I shrugged.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently, sitting down in his seat.

I shrugged.

"Max, what's wrong?"

I shrugged.

"Hey," he hissed. "I called dibs on the silent shrug-ger dude." He said, trying to lighten the mood.

I turned to face him and raised my eyebrow at him, remaining quiet. I couldn't get the teacher's words out of my head. Fang and I were _not_ supposed to be together! Never!

"Max, just… What the heck is going on?" He hissed.

I shrugged.

"Max! For God's sake just tell me what the heck is wrong!" He nearly shouted.

"Fang, no shouting," Mrs. Wilben called over quietly. She cast a quick glance at me and offered a small smile while furrowing her eyebrows together.

Fang looked at her quickly before nodding once. Unfortunately, he caught the exchange between us two. I sighed.

"I'm talking to you after class," he hissed. "Don't think I'll forget, don't think you'll get away, don't think about anything except for you telling me what in Hell is wrong after class, Maximum."

"Nicholas," Mrs. Wilben stated from in front of our desks. I glanced up at her. "I know, I know, I'm just a teacher, but I don't want to see you two fighting. However, Max will tell you when she wants to. You cannot force her to tell you, and if you do I'm sure she will just not want to tell you even more. You two are the only people who know each other, so you, Fang, should know when she's not talking it's for a reason, and forcing her to tell you something won't make her tell you. And Max," she said, turning to face me. "You should know that the only reason he's doing this is because he cares about you and worries about you. You two aren't meant to fight. It just upsets everyone. Take me, for example. I don't like right now. So get over this stupid fight!" She huffed and spun on her heel just as the tardy bell sounded. She spun back around smiling. "Perfect timing!" She applauded herself.

I simply rolled my eyes and smirked at her. Fang was looking at me and muttered something that sounded much like, 'sure, smile at her but don't bother talking to me.' I glanced over at him and rolled my eyes.

"Class," Mrs. Wilben called us to attention. I felt Fang's eyes on me half the class but tried to ignore it.

Those words kept ringing in my head:

_You'll both figure out you're supposed to be together eventually._

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**If I get enough reviews I just might think about posting chapter thirteen later today. That is, if I get eight or more reviews. ;D **

**So, you sohuld really review this right now if you want to read on. :D  
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	13. Why thank you, Mrs Wilben

**Although my favorite candy turned cannibal out smarted me and posted more than one review, I still promised: eight reviews. **

**I'll have to be more specific next time. xDD **

**Also, which are better? Pancakes or waffles. Leave your choice in your review. :D **

**Disclaimer: No yo soy JP. D: **

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After history Max jumped from her seat and ran out of the class room before I could close my binder. I slammed it shut and was about to leave before Mrs. Wilben called my name. "Fang!" She called.

"Yes?" I breathed, turning to face her.

"Come here, I'll write you a pass to your next class."

I sighed but walked over to her desk where she was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah?" I asked when I made it over to her.

"Fang, you can't do that to Max." She told me. I wanted to snort and roll my eyes and ask what she knew about Max, but in truth, she was the adult Max most trusted. "Max isn't a baby, and she can look after herself, Fang!"

"I'm not doing anything," I said evenly. "She's mad at me. I'm allowed to know why, am I not?"

"Yes, you're allowed, but she's your best friend. Don't let something this stupid ruin that. So she made a mistake. She doesn't like messing up. She could just be mad at herself! Don't force her to tell you anything. She'll tell you when she's ready. She has a lot on her mind. Don't be like this. Don't be bipolar or whatever! One day you help her when she needs to be rushed to the hospital and another day you're yelling at her to tell you why she's being quiet? You're always quiet!"

I rolled my eyes. "Look, I wasn't trying to be mean. I would never be mean to Max—"

"You just were!" Mrs. Wilben interrupted.

"Okay, I would never try to be mean to her. I swear, Mrs. Wilben. You know that. She could be holding a gun to my head and I would let her pull the trigger if it made her happy." I told her. I don't know why but Mrs. Wilben could make me talk just as much as Max. Maybe it was the fact that she was like a more energetic Max. Either way… Yeah.

"And that's why you should think, more!" She hissed. "Look, Fang. The first time you went out with Lissa, you didn't tell her. She's your best friend and she tells you everything. You going out with Lissa was a big thing, and having not told her the first time is what made her believe you were going out with her now. So this is all your fault, in a way. Max isn't over reacting. You are."

I sighed. "First, I'm not going out with Lissa! Second, I know, but Max… Is just… So… Different. I don't know what else to do with her. Well, I know her inside and out. And she's my best friend. She's _more_ than my best friend. She's…" Whoa, Fang, stop. Stop right there. Look away from your history teacher's evil smiley face like you just admitted something that could be used as blackmail. "She's like my sister," I covered too quickly.

The smile still was plastered to her face as she chuckled softly. "Now, Fang," she sang. "We both know that was _not_ what you were about to say. Why don't you tell me the unedited version of that last statement and we'll be on our merry little ways… Well, not really, because you'll still be here, but, either way, what was that you were saying? I swear I won't tell Max."

Most of the time Mrs. Wilben acted like a high school student and not a teacher, especially when you talked to her one-on-one.

"I…" I trailed off. I what? I like Max? No, I don't. I need Max? Yes, yes I do. I love Max? Yes, ye—No, NO I do not. I coughed self-consciously at my thoughts and she was smiling.

"Fang, no offence, but you are an idiot." She told me. "You _like_ her. Heck, you may even _love _her! And you've known her since the start of sophomore year! Everyone can tell. Everyone knows you two will be together. I promise you that everything will work out and you'll fall in love and get married and have a successful life and have kids, then have grandkids and… Be purely and truly happy."

I was speechless. Angel had told me Max and I liked each other. She said it with such determination I had almost believed her. Iggy, Ella, Nudge, JJ, and many, many other people joked around with us about being a couple. What if they hadn't been joking around and they were seriously thinking that stuff?

The tardy bell interrupted my thoughts. "Give me your pass book," Mrs. Wilben murmured, noticing the look of realization on my face. "I'll write it out so you have ten extra minutes if you just want to sit down for a minute or two."

I nodded once and took the white organizer back, I went outside the classroom, wandering the halls. After six minutes of that, thinking about what Mrs. Wilben said, a teacher approached me.

"Excuse me," the man said. "Do you have a pass? He asked. I nodded once and showed him the initials of my history teacher and when he nodded I started off towards class.

When I walked through the door the first thing I noticed was Max, my lab partner, looking towards me, her eyes flicking back down when she saw it was indeed me.

"Fang?" Mr. L questioned. I showed him my pass quickly and took my seat.

In a few seconds I heard the sound of a paper ripping out of a notebook, and then it was on top of my books.

_Sorry, I was kind of thinking last period. Where were you?_

I looked over at Max, who was writing down the notes from the board. I also copied them down before replying.

_It's 'kay. With Mrs. W. Now I'm thinking. Sorry. I really need to. Talk later. _

I slid the sheet back over to her, smiling on the inside at how absolutely beautiful she looked.

Maybe Mrs. Wilben was right.

Maybe I'd fallen in love with my best friend. Without noticing.

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**:D **

**Uh-oh! :D **

**Anyways, review! **

**And don't forget the pancake/waffle answer! ;D **

**REVIEWWW.  
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	14. Maxwell

**Okay, so, if any of you read Pimpin Penguin1477's stories, you've heard about the girl who died in an ATV accident. **

**Now, I didn't know her well, but she was an amazing person. She always put everyone before herself. She was amazing, and the nicest person you'd ever meet. So, her being gone has really take a hit on people. **

**But, yesterday, her mom found her journal. Most teenage girls would write about crushes and vent their anger. She didn't. She never WAS angry. **

**Here are four things(life lessons) she had written in her journal: **

**1. Don't get upset over something. It's not worth it. **

**2. Always put God first. **

**3. -My mom couldn't remember what this one said-. **

**This next one is my absolute favorite: **

**4. I don't write like Shakespeare, but I will make my own mark on this world. **

**Everyone will miss her, I know, and she definitely should not have died. She was amazing, and so many people's best friends, or ever just friend. But, still. **

**The only thing my friend(her cousin and best friend) looks forward to is when she will see her in heaven. She knows her grandpa and her cousin will be waiting for her. 3 **

**On a happier note, this is a chapter! **

**Its mainly a filler, and really short. **

**Sorry. D: **

**Disclaimer: I don't have any books published. You can infer from that I am not JP. **

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Lunch came soon, and I _had_ to talk to him.

"Fang," I said while we walked out of Mrs. Rossoll's class. "We haven't talked yet. Can't you just let me say I'm sorry?"

Fang shrugged. "I've just been thinking," he promised me. "Mrs. Wilben has some crazy ideas in her head."

I froze. Did she tell him that he and I were "meant to be together"? Oh, shoot.

"Like what?" I asked warily. I swear, I swear, I _swear_…

"Just stuff," he shrugged. "Something about not shouting at you 'cause you're my best friend, don't let anything idiotic get in the way of our friendship, it was all my fault 'cause I didn't tell you the first time, and only, time I went out with Lissa, and.. Just… Yeah."

He finished his explanation and I exhaled and smiled internally. Thank you, God.

"Ah, I see…" I laughed. He smirked at looked at me, his eyes studying me. I couldn't help myself from staring deeply into them, searching for anything.

"Sure you do," he chuckled, nudging me with his elbow. "So what's up?" He questioned me, staring ahead.

"Well," I began sarcastically, "I'm in school and I've been in classes all day and—"

"How're you doing?" Fang changed his question.

_Swell!_ I thought to myself. _It's not like my favorite teacher expects me to fall in love with my best friend or anything!_ "Fine," I shrugged nonchalantly. "You?"

"Swell," he muttered, turning slightly pink. Whatthefruit?! Fang doesn't blushhhhh! Why is Fang blushing?! Uh, whoa. Nudge momento.

"You're lying," I stated, knowing he wouldn't blush if he were fine. "What's up?"

"The ceiling," he explained in a slow voice, giving me a weird look. "And above that is the second floor. And above that is the roof. And then there is the sky, then heaven, then… What comes after heaven? Or are the clouds there before heaven? Is heaven inside or outside of the ozone layer? Because, if it were inside, then after heaven would be—"

"Fang!" I shouted. "What in Hell is wrong? Do you realize you're, uhh, _talking_?"

Fang let out a small sigh and then swung his head over towards me, giving me a sheepish look. "Yeah, I'm sorry. Let's go. You don't mind Lissa, right?"

"You're not dating, right?"

"Correct."

"Then no, I do not," I smiled, elbowing my best friend's abs. "Ow!" I swore. "I _still _haven't learned not to hit you!"

Fang simply smirked at me as we finally reached the lunch room and approached our table. "Max!" Iggy and JJ smiled, coming up and tackling me. "Fang, you really shouldn't steal her from us," JJ frowned slightly, while Iggy let go of me.

"What, no hug, Ella? Nudge?" I asked in mock hurt.

"We saw you yesterday!" Ella complained, but getting up anyways. "I'm so happy you're back. But you're going to pay for that thing you said the other day," she whispered in my ear. This set me off laughing as Nudge came up and also hugged me.

Fang and I went up to buy lunch and returned to Lissa at the table. "Hey, Lissa," I greeted her with a small smile.

Lissa looked up at me, shocked, but quickly composed herself. "Hi, Max," she smiled, taking a sip of her water. She gave me a scared look which I responded to with a sympathetic smile. She seemed to take that as 'it's all good, we're friends again.'

"YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE YOUR EYES IF TEN—"

"Nudge, _shut up_!" Everyone at the table seemed to scream at once. I looked up from my pepperoni pizza and attempted to hold back a laugh. If I hadn't known better I would've said they rehearsed it.

"Why, hello, Maxwell!" I heard a teasing voice behind me.

"Alex!" I shouted happily after I turned around. I jumped out of my seat quickly and ran over to hug him. "Oh, my gosh! We have no classes together," I frowned, letting go of my friend. My eyes quickly flicked over towards Nudge who was eating her lunch with too much interest. "Anyways, sit with us at lunch? At least for today?"

"Of course," Alex smiled while sneaking a glance a Nudge. I smiled at him when he looked back and he blushed slightly. "Say nothing," he demanded of me.

"Fine, fine," I agreed, "however, I also agreed with Nudge I'd say nothing about the crush she's had on you since seventh grade, so, I can't make any guarantees."

At that, Alex's face lit up and he took my spot next to Nudge (cough)without knowing it was my spot(coughcoughcough). I took my spot next to him, but ended up shoving both Fang and Lissa down a seat.

That's exactly how the rest of the week went:

Filled with the best of friends and filled with happiness.

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**Ehh, somewhat sucky. **

**Ah well. **

**The new plotline is developing, if you haven't noticed. o: **

***winkwink* **

**Review, porfavor. :D  
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	15. Rainbow Skittle

**So, I'm really excited for my new story, if you haven't seen it, you should check it out. **

**Its '333 Things to do in Wal-Mart.' **

**I'm happy. :D **

**Also, as for InYourArms, I'm updating that soon. **

**For LifeAfterTheWater, I'm at a MAJOR writer's block. .-. Unfortunately... So, yeah. I'll update as soon as I get a good idea. **

**Another thing: **

**I'm writing a novel. I don't know what I'm going to call it yet, but for now I call it 'Breaking Free'. It's about a girl, Whitley, who is abused by her parents, and they move to Maine, and there she meets a guy, Tyler, who develops a crush on her. He doesn't date, and stuff, so everyone is amazed. It's mainly a love story. I'm thinking about posting it in the Misc. section. If I were to post it would you guys read it? o: **

**Disclaimer: I am not James Patterson, thank goodness. I wouldn't like to be middle-aged. o.o **

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The next two weeks of school were immensely boring, filled with nothing. Not even drama! Well, apart from Lauren.

Lissa and I were becoming close again, thankfully, and she was one of my best friends again. I'd begged my principal for an in-school restraining order from Sam. Unfortunately I had to tell him _why_ I'd like the restraining order. If I told him, he would tell my mom, Ella would find out, and then everyone would know. And I just wouldn't like that very much.

Today, however, we were supposed to get a new student. I, unfortunately, was dropping off a note for Ella since she was sick today when the new girl was getting her schedule. _Ironically_, she had the same first and second class as me! Whoop-ee! And a few other classes with me, too! Ugh. She didn't seem too Lauren-like, but she seemed nothing like me.

Her name was Erin. She was about two inches shorter than myself with brown hair around three inches past her shoulders. She wore Hollister clothes and converse, making herself look like a casual prep. But still a prep.

"Hi, I'm Max," I said in a fake happy tone.

"Hi, I'm Erin!" She replied in the same tone, rolling her eyes. "You can give up the act. I'm not stupid."

Whoa. How did she know I was acting? Fang was usually the only one who knew what I was thinking. "How did you know I was faking?" I asked, mildly curious.

"The way you dress. Not that I don't like the way you dress. If I could afford to dress like that I would, trust me. But, yeah. That first little 'vibe' you gave off doesn't mix with the way you look," Erin explained.

"Whoa. And, uhh, no offence, but how can you afford Hollister but not Hot Topic and Pac Sun?" I asked her.

"All the clothes I own once belonged to someone else, namely, my sister, Rose. My dad has been on and off the job for a while, and my mom makes money, yeah, but not enough to shop all the time."

"Ouch," I murmured. "I'm sorry. I'll find some old stuff of mine and you can have it," I promised with a small smile. She seemed to like the idea and smiled back. "Anyways, come on. We'll go to my locker. Fang will be there. You and he should get along. The only two people who have any common sense," I laughed.

"Fang?" She asked skeptically. I opened my mouth to explain it was a nick name but she beak me to it. "I take it its nickname… But… _Fang_? Can I be Rainbow Skittle? Or, Skittle?"

"Heck yeah, Skittle!" I laughed, slapping her a high five. She giggled slightly, only to be interrupted by Lauren.

"New girl!" Lauren called from a few feet away. "Why don't you come talk with us?" She smiled.

"And why don't you go jump off a cliff?" Erin matched her happy tone. I managed to hold back a laugh, but I had to admit, Erin was rather epically awesome.

"What?" Lauren asked, shocked that the new prep-like girl was against her.

"What's your IQ?" Erin asked, curiously. "If you didn't understand my last statement, you shouldn't be passed the first grade. Oh, and I have a name," she smiled. "It's Skittle."

"What kind of a name is Skittle?!" One of Lauren's minions called.

"A better one than 'Minion one' and 'Minion two'," Erin sneered. "Actually, with the way you dress, you could pass as Thing One and Thing Two. You," she said, pointing at Lauren, "can just be 'Thing.'"

"Bi—"

"It's Skittle!" Erin interrupted before turning away. "See 'ya later, Thing!" She called over her shoulder.

"Dude," I laughed, slinking after her. "You are my new hero."

People around us in the hall were staring, and someone ever began the slow clap. By the time we got to my locker Fang was eyeing me curiously.

"Who is this?" He asked me.

"Hi, I'm Rainbow Skittle," she told him, sticking her hand out to him. "I'm new here. You're Tooth, right?"

"Uhh, Fang," he corrected. He took her hand and shook it, smirking. "Nice to meet you, Rainbow Skittle."

"You can call me Skittle for short."

"Okay, Skittle," he smiled before turning to me. "So, what was that clapping and cheering about?" He asked me.

"Oh, Skittle is epic." I told him all about the encounter with Lauren and he couldn't help but smile. I also noticed Erin eyeing him carefully, something unknown glinting in her eye. It made me uneasy when he returned the look.

"Maxwell!" Alex called from behind me. I stopped to face him, ignoring the constant conversation going on between Erin and Fang. Alex had called me Maxwell ever since we'd met, seeing as he thought that's the only name that could be shortened into 'Max'. Everyone thought it was funny, though he was the only one to still call me that.

"Hey, Alex," I smiled. "Who is this?" I asked, motioning to the boy standing next to him. I'd seen him before. I was pretty sure he was a senior, but I wasn't sure.

"This is Ryan," he told me. "Jon Hart. His little sister is Chelsea**(A/N: Chelsea Hart is the girl who recently died. I decided to put her in this story. Jon was her older brother. Ben, her younger brother will be introduced later.)**. She's said a few things about you and he's been dying to meet you. He's a senior this year."

When Alex said 'dying to meet you', Fang looked up and Ryan blushed. "She told me about Lauren and everything. Unfortunately, I went out with Lauren last year. I was her longest relationship. Three months. I broke up with her for many, many reasons. You seem interesting," he admitted, smiling a beautiful smile at me.

"Thanks," I laughed.

"No problem," he shrugged. "Wanna walk around with us?" He offered, gesturing to Alex.

"Sure!" I smiled, turning back to face Fang and Erin, who were still talking. "Fang, Erin has the same first class as us. I'll meet you there," I told them before walking off with Jon and Alex. I felt bad for ditching them, but they seemed to be getting on fine without me.

"So you're the Maximum Ride Martinez. Namely known as Maximum Ride, Maximum, or Max." Jon announced, laughing slightly.

"Yes," I laughed back, "I am Max the Great."

"Wonderful to meet you, Max the Great."

"Jon!" I heard a voice behind us. The three of us turned around to see Chelsea hurrying towards us. "Why are you walking around with Max?" She asked, laughing as she nudged my arm. "I mean, I know she's amazing and everything, but when'd you meet her?"

"Alex introduced us," Jon told her. She nodded once before hugging me.

"I haven't seen you in so long!" She frowned, letting go of me.

"I know," I sighed. It felt weird walking in between Chelsea and her brother, but for some reason I wanted to be next to Jon. I _really_ wanted to be.

"This is my class," Jon told us, just as the warning bell rang. "Which I guess I'll be going to, now."

"Bye, Jon!" I laughed, waving good-bye. Chelsea walked with me back to history, her class having been right across from mine. We agreed to walk to our next class together, meaning Fang and Erin could walk together.

If I hated the idea of them spending so much time together, why was I giving them so many chances?

Oh, yeah, that's right.

'Cause I'm a blooming idiot, that's why.

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**Reviewwwwwwwwwwww~! :D **


	16. Bluntness

**Blah, this chapter isn't that amazing. **

**Nor is the next. **

**The first part of the one after the next chapter is bad, but the second half will have drama. **

**xDD **

**Anywhooo. **

**Yeah, here's chapter sixteen. **

**And guess what else? **

**I don't think I'm even half way done with this story, yet! **

**I don't know if that's good or bad. /: **

**Disclaimer: My name doesn't have a 'J' in it. So I obviously can't be JP. **

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By the end of the week, Erin wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she liked Fang. Let's just say she's rather… Blunt?

Guess who else is blunt?

Alex.

"Jon likes you," he told me a few days before the … Well, you'll find out soon. By soon, I mean… oh, what the heck. Now:

A few days before the date.

Jon asked me out.

And I said yes, oh so obviously!

Who wouldn't love a sweet, sensitive tall, strong, blonde-hair, blue-eyed, wonderful boy?

Chelsea and I started talking again, and we grew closer every day.

"So," Fang said as we walked from Algebra to lunch. It was really the only time we walked together anymore. "You and Jon?"

"Yeah," I sighed, partly dreamily. "Jon and I," I confirmed while smiling. Jon was seriously the perfect boyfriend. Half the time he wouldn't hug me or kiss me… He'd just… _Hold_ me. Close to him. And make it seem like I was in heaven.

"So how long is this one gonna last?" Fang asked. "A year? Two years? A month?"

"What the hell, Fang? It can last however long. Jon won't turn out to be like Sam," I snarled, knowing I was right. But what he said next…

"Oh, really? Because I bet when you first fell for Sam you were _positive_ he wouldn't turn out like he did! You just let it go on a year because he was the _perfect_ boyfriend, right? Look how well he turned out," he told me. I glared at him, coming to a dead stop in the middle of the hall.

"You know what, Fang?" I asked him. He raised a cocky eyebrow expectantly. "Thuck you," I hissed before stalking away to the lunch room and jogging up to Jon. I wrapped him in a hug which he returned.

"Max, sweetie?" He cooed gently. He stroked the back of my hair softly, waiting for me to speak.

"I'm just in a bad mood," I explained, frustrated at myself. I went to Fang first about _everything_. I was unable to tell anyone else about a problem unless he heard about it first. But what was I supposed to do when _he_ was the problem?!

"Okay," he nodded, continuing to pet my hair lovingly. Chelsea's voice came up, then.

"Oh, gosh," she laughed. "You two love birds, go get a room. Two weeks and you're already falling over the other. But, yeah, is she okay?" She asked her brother, probably pointing to me.

"She's in a bad mood," he told her. I looked up and saw her nodding slightly before she reached down to give me a hug.

"It'll all turn out perfect," she whispered in my ear, as if she knew what was going on. I laughed lightly, wishing she was right, but knowing she could very well be wrong. Whenever I looked at Fang I felt more than our friendship. I knew it was just because of how close we were, we needed each other in one and other's lives, but sometimes I wished I never met him. He was just so frustrating!

"Thanks," I breathed, disentangling myself from Jon. "Let's go sit," I said, walking towards the table. Fang was also approaching it and I gave him a small glare. He simply stared at me, and then Erin.

"Fang!" Erin cried happily, jumping up to hug him. Get this: He hugged her back. Which was so totally not cool.

"Hey, Skittle," Fang smiled, letting go of her slowly. I felt my throat close and my breathing speed up, so I simply wrapped my arm around Jon tightly. We sat down at our normal spots while Erin began talking to Fang animatedly about his songs.

Wait.

Wait, wait, wait, wait—

_Wait_.

His songs?

He told me he never showed _anyone_ his songs!

I felt like I was being ripped in half right then. Sure, Erin was one of my best friends. But Fang was _mine_. Not Erin's. His songs were only for his and my eyes. That is, until we actually got around to making that band. Oh, hadn't I mentioned that? Yeah, we were thinking of making a band. Iggy would be our drummer. Ella was learning piano, so she would be our pianist. And JJ played guitar, and also bass. So, she would be our bassist. But… Erin shouldn't have heard the songs!

"Where'd you come up with the idea for _Spread My Wings_?" Erin asked Fang. I froze. That was my song.

"Max," he answered simply.

"Ahh," she smiled at me. "Will I ever inspire any songs?"

"Maybe," Fang chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Possibly… I think yes," he finally nodded. Erin nodded back.

What happened next I swore could've made me kill Erin.

"So, you know I like you," she said. See? Blunt! "What do you think of me?"

Fang paused for a moment and I saw his eyes flicker towards me quickly. Erin was looking down at her hands so she hadn't noticed. "I…" Fang started, and then looked at me again, seeing me snuggle into Jon even more. I didn't want to be here right now. "I think you're pretty amazing," he shrugged.

And that was it.

"I've gotta go," I breathed nearly silently. I jumped up and stalked out of the student center, rushing to my locker.

"Max?" I heard my sister call behind me. I heard another pair of footsteps with hers and guessed that it was JJ with her. I was not expecting it when I made it to my locker and saw her and Iggy rushing towards me. "Max, what the hell?" Ella panted.

"Watch your language," I told her as I sank to the ground.

"Max," she repeated, "what's wrong?"

I looked at her, and since she was my sister, she knew the look. "Iggy, go. Max and I need to speak alone."

When Iggy ran off, Ella sank down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"I think I'm falling in love with Jon," I told Ella softly. She blinked in astonishment. "What?" I asked when she looked at me in amazement.

"No one thought it was going to be Jon," she told me.

"Don't tell me you're siding with Mrs. Wilben," I said horrified. What was up with people thinking Fang and I were meant to be together?!

"Did she guess the boy who just caused you to run out of the lunch room and break down because he was about to be asked out?"

"Yes!" I snarled. "And I don't love him! I never _will_! Right now I just about _hate _him! Besides," I growled, jumping up, "he's obviously much more perfectly suited for Erin!" I yelled, running to the bathroom.

I really needed to figure out what in Hell was going on with me.

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	17. Oh, how nice to hear

**THIS IS SHORT! **

**Just so you know. ;D **

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**Disclaimer: YOU KNOW WHAT GOES HERE. **

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"Don't tell me you're siding with Mrs. Wilben," Max asked Ella. Wait, did Mrs. Wilben say that all to her, too?

"Did she guess the boy who just caused you to run out of the lunch room and break down because he was about to be asked out?" Ella asked. Uh, yeah. Oops. But, hey, she's got a boyfriend. Who she's falling in love with. And who I now _hated_ for that reason.

"Yes! And I don't love him! I never _will_! Right now I just about _hate _him!" Ouch, that hurt. "Besides," she snarled, "he's obviously much more perfectly suited for Erin!" Her voice was gone after that, and I was left standing there, shocked. No. But Erin _really_ liked me. And if Max had someone, why wasn't I allowed to have a girlfriend?

"Fang?" Ella asked, sounding horrified. "How much of that did you hear?"

"'What?' 'No one thought it was going to be Jon.'" I told her. Her face twisted in embarrassment.

"Oh, no. Oh, shoot! Fang, you idiot!" She screamed at me. What did I do wrong? "Now you know everything she just told me! Max is going to kill us!"

"Ella, Ella, Ella!" I hissed, "calm down. After what Max said, I don't particularly feel comfortable talking to Max. _Not_ the getting together thing. Just… You wouldn't get it, and neither would anyone else. So I'm not even going to try to explain it," I told her, spinning on my heel and charging towards my locker.

Max said she would never love me. And here I was, loving her. Loving her like she was all I had.

Because in truth, she _was_ all I had.

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	18. Why, Fang?

**This chapter is going to be the last short one, I promise! o: **

**But, yeah. **

**Disclaimer: I'm not James Patterson. d: **

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"Max!" Ella cried. "It's been three days! You _have_ to talk to him!"

"No, Ella," I screamed from my bed. I'd locked myself in my room only allowing Jon in. It was Sunday, now, and Fang hadn't talked to me since the whole running off thing.

"Maxie-poo?" I heard my mom call from outside the door. "I've got cookies," she told me.

"Have Jon bring them in when he comes over!" I rasped. I heard a sigh from my door and also sighed, looking through my window.

_Bad_ choice.

Oh! What a wonderful sight! Erin and Fang sucking face on his bed!

I drew in a shaky breath and turned away, grabbing my phone. I texted Chelsea, knowing she was the only one who wouldn't go telling anyone else no matter what. Well, Fang wouldn't tell anyone, but I couldn't talk to him.

_Chels, why am I feeling dead over seeing my… Uhh, I don't know, Fang?—making out with his GIRLFRIEND? I seriously love your brother, I promise, but… I don't know. I just wish life were easier. _

I hit send and waited about two minutes for her reply.

_Max, don't worry. It's not worth it. You'll find out who you love eventually. Jon really cares about you. More than any of his exes. But only time will tell you if you're supposed to be together. But like I said, it's not with any of your time to worry. Trust me, Max. _

I thought about what she said, letting it sink in. She was right. But not right enough to get me to speak to Fang. Maybe tomorrow I would.

Jon came over and brought me up to cookies, smiling as I stuffed them in my mouth.

"So, how are you?" Jon asked, snuggling me up to his chest.

"Just peachy," I muttered darkly.

"Still haven't talked to him, huh?"

"Nope."

"If it makes you this upset you should try, Max."

"Nope, he seems content right about now. Take a look out the window."

"What?" Jon asked before looking up. When he saw Fang and Erin he quickly looked away. "Oh."

"Yeah. I still love Erin, and she doesn't know she's the one that is taking him away from me. I want my best friend to be _my_ best friend. Not Erin's. Not Lissa's. Not anyone's. I was his first friend here. I understand him better than anyone. He understands me better than anyone, no offense to you. Fang and I just connected."

"I know, love." Jon murmured, pressing his lips to my forehead gently. "Talk to him tomorrow. For me. Please?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

I hope.

-------

The next day was torturous.

Why?

It started off with me trying to talk to Fang.

"Fang," I sighed, walking up to his locker. Erin wasn't here yet, so I decided now was the best time. "I'm sorry," I murmured.

"Sure you are," he hissed, tossing his math book into the bottom of his locker. He grabbed his books that he needed for the morning and turned to face me. "Try saying that to someone that you could ever love. Someone who you don't hate. Maybe _they_'ll believe you." His voice had ice dripping from every syllable.

"What are you talking about, Fang?" I asked, shocked.

"You ran out of lunch on Thursday. I wanted to see if you were okay. Turns out you hate me. I shouldn't really be surprised after every single thing you've done for me. Which adds up to nothing," he snarled. I stared at him, shocked before spinning on my heel and running from him.

I ran into the nearest bathroom and just sat there, feeling tears run down my cheeks. I refused to make any sound.

How could I have said that I hated him? Even if I was mad? I could never hate him. And what was worse was that I _could_ love him if I gave myself a chance. But I had Jon now, so why would I give him a chance anymore? Besides, he obviously didn't care for me anymore, so I'd never have to face the choice of whether I should give him a chance or not.

Why, Fang?

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	19. Found

**Chapter nineteeeeeenn! **

**Soooo, you may be happy. **

**You'll be happier in the next chapter and so on. **

**And then you'll be incredibly sad. **

**And then you'll be happy. **

**And... Yeahhh. **

**Disclaimer: I'm not JP. **

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Half way through first period, Fang was about to scream. Where was Max? He looked towards the door, waiting for the knob to turn and for Max to walk in with a late pass and come take her seat next to him so he could apologize.

But she hadn't come.

Soon, the bell was ringing.

"Fang?" Erin called softly from the door. Mrs. Wilben cleared her throat and eyed him.

"I'll see you soon," he told his girlfriend before walking towards his history teacher. Erin nodded and headed off to their next class without him.

Fang reached his teacher and paused, seeing her raise her eyebrow at him. "I don't know where she is," he admitted.

"I don't expect you to know where she is, Fang, but I expect you to tell me why she wasn't here. I saw her this morning. She's at school."

"Why would I know what happened?" Fang hissed, shifting his weight onto his other leg. This made him feel slightly like Max. He pushed the thought away and maneuvered his attention back to the blonde in front of him.

"Because you were looking upset from the point that you came in and you still are, you kept looking at the door and at her seat, and you wouldn't even look at Erin. You kept tapping your pencil on your notebook. You went into defensive mode when I asked where she was. Just tell me where she is!" Mrs. Wilben explained, finishing off her mini-rant with a yell.

"I don't know! But, she wasn't here because of, well, me," he told her, hanging his head. When he looked up her eyes were softer but were pleading him to go on. "The other day she ran out of the lunch room after Erin asked me out. She was talking to Ella and said she didn't love me, never would, and hated me. This morning she talked to me for the first time since before lunch on Thursday. I yelled at her. I said something about how she should apologize to someone who she'd ever love, didn't hate, and I told her I heard her say that. And then I told her I wasn't surprised she hated me based off of everything that she'd done to me, which added up to nothing."

"_What_?!" Mrs. Wilben shrieked. "You _idiot_! Do you realize how much she _has_ done for you? She stayed in your life, for one, which don't tell me you wish she wasn't. She tutored you in this class. She's kept you sane. You know she's done everything you'll let her for you. It does _not_ add up to _nothing_!"

"I know, I know," Fang nodded. "I was going to apologize. It's just, please, please, _please_ don't tell her this, but you were right. But it's unrequited."

"It's not," she reassured him gently, "but come on. We have to find Max."

Fang nodded once, turning out of the classroom with his teacher behind him. They looked behind every closed door, and finally Mrs. Wilben came up with a new idea.

"You know what we haven't thought of?" She asked, looking at Fang. Fang looked up at her with raised eyebrows. "Bathrooms."

"Ahhh…" Fang nodded, feeling incredibly stupid.

"I'll look in them, you wait outside the doors. If any teachers approach you just wait until I come back out."

"Okay."

"Okay, here's the first one." Mrs. Wilben pushed the door open, walking in and reappearing less than a minute later. "Nope. Let's go to the one nearest your locker," she suggested.

Fang led her down the steps and down a corridor and in front of a brown door with a large 'G' on the door. "Here," he said, nodding towards the door.

"No, really?" She asked sarcastically. Fang smirked as she went inside. This time she didn't come out after a minute.

A teacher approached him and he did what she had told him to do. Two minutes later, she came back out.

"Mr. Porter!" Mrs. Wilben exclaimed as she opened the door. "Fang's with me. We're looking for a student. You can carry on."

"Very well," Mr. Porter nodded, stalking away.

"Go in, now," Mrs. Wilben hissed at him. I'll wait out here to keep any girls from coming in. She doesn't know you're coming in. She thinks I'm just making sure no one comes in. So, if you die, I'll take full blame. But as of now, she needs you." Fang nodded, about to step in when she grabbed his shoulder. "By the way, you truly are an idiot."

"I know," Fang whispered and stepped into the girls' bathroom. He walked around the separator to keep from anyone seeing in too easily and froze. Max's face was red, puffy, soaked, and her shirt was also soaked. "Max?" He said in shock.

Max's eyes snapped open as she sniffed. "What in Hell do you want, Fang?" She snarled, looking lethal. "Want me to sit here and do nothing for you? Keep on hating you?"

"Max, just… Just listen, please?" He pleaded. She turned away from him, sniffling and she shut her eyes.

"Why should I?" She asked, not sounding murderous, this time. Defeated and broken would be the words.

"Because, Max," he begged, walking towards her and placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped, not having known he had been walking towards her. "You're my best friend. You're everything to me. I'd be lost without you and I was just mad at myself earlier. You had nothing to do with it."

"Yes, I did, Fang! I said I hated you! And I didn't mean it! But what you said… I swear, when you said that, I would've sworn you pushed me off of a cliff and didn't bother to save me. And even that wouldn't have been enough pain to match that." She took a deep breath and turned towards him, opening her eyes. "I've never been so confused in my life. Mrs. Wilben told me something… And, well…"

"She told me the same thing," Fang told her. "That we would fall in love. That it would all work out because we would end up together."

"And I just don't know, Fang. What I said. About not ever loving you. I know I could if I gave you a chance. But, I just can't. Not now. I need you as a best friend, Fang. Nothing more. I don't know if Mrs. Wilben is right, but you're my best friend."

"Max, relationships are a pair of best friends. Boyfriend and girlfriends are just dating. They're not in a relationship. I can still be your best friend, Max." Fang told her, softly, wiping her face with the back of his hands.

"You don't get it!" Max yelled. "What if we fought?" She hissed. "Nothing would be the same. I wouldn't have you, Fang. And you're the only person I need in my life. What if we were to fight? Break up?"

"Max, we fight _now_!" He growled, placing his hands on her shoulders. "What do you think we're doing right this second? You'll always have me, Max. No matter what, I'll never leave you. You're the only person I need in mine. If we broke up? Then we'd still be best friends, Max. But we'd never know if we never gave it a chance."

"But… Jon," Max murmured, looking at her shoes. "I… I just don't know what to do anymore!"

Fang froze. Oh, yeah. Jon.

"Max, do whatever. No one can choose for you."

"I know," Max nodded slightly. "But it's not fair. How am I supposed to choose?" She bit her lip slightly before looking up into Fang's eyes. He froze.

Max was slowly craning her head up towards Fang's face, looking at him for permission. He nodded once before she pressed her lips to his. It felt like heaven to him, and he just stood there, melting into the kiss. Max traced her tongue along his lips and he parted them for her, turning his head to deepen the kiss.

He wasn't sure how long they kissed, but a while later she pulled away, hugging herself.

"I… I shouldn't have done that. I… I'm—I'm sorry," she stuttered out, turning away. She started towards the door but Fang grabbed her shoulder.

"Max, don't be sorry. It's not your fault. It's not like I'll hate you if you choose Jon," he told her truthfully. _It'll only hurt me and make me feel like screaming and ripping his head off, but I wouldn't 'cause it would hurt you_…

"Fang, I don't know! I don't know! Jon is sweet and wonderful and funny and cute and amazing, but… You're Fang. Amazing, perfect, sweet, kind, hilarious, you understand me, cute, you leave me breathless… But… I don't know! I think I love Jon, I know sure as Hell I love you, and—"

Max stopped right there, realizing what she just said.

"I have to go," she said quickly, turning away again.

"If it helps any, Max, I know that I love you, too," Fang admitted, walking past her to the door. When he walked out Mrs. Wilben looked at him expectantly but he just walked away.

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	20. Complications

**It's been wayyyyyyyy too long! **

**And I regret to inform you: **

**This chapter sucks. .-. **

**You'll be happy with some of it, though... **

**Maybe... **

**Anyways; My updates are going to be slower, now. **

**Sorry. **

**This is a short chapter, too. D: **

**SORRY. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Maximum Ride, I would be going to Europe next summer, seeing as I would have enough money, unlike I do right now. D: **

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For the next week I'd avoided Fang at all costs.

Jon and I continued going out as my feelings for him grew stronger, and finally, on our month anniversary, he admitted he loved me.

I said "right back atch'a, love you, too!" and jumped on him and kissed him. Now we're living happily ever after.

And if you really believed that then I… Wish you luck in life.

In reality, I stared at him, my mouth agape, and _ran_. For dear life. Twenty-seven blocks home. I ran. When I finally reached my house, I didn't go in. Instead, I glanced at Fang's house and started towards it.

When I reached the door I knocked three times only to hear two younger voices on the other side of the door. When the door open my eyes fell and I was looking right at Angel and Gazzy.

"Max!" The both cried happily before tackling me.

"Hey, Ange. Hey, Gaz," I smiled, hugging them both with one arm. "I need to talk to your brother," I told them just as Fang appeared out of the living room.

"Max?" Fang asked, clearly shocked. "Can I help you?"

"Erm, yes," I nodded. "Can we go to your room? Just for a few minutes."

Fang nodded once, shooing his half-brother and sister towards the living room. He led me up the steps to his room where I sat on his bed where his song book was open. "May I?" I asked him, motioning to the song book.

"Don't blame me if you run away," he shrugged. I looked at him like he was crazy before reading the lyrics. Only half of the song was done.

_It's not easy to tell myself that this ain't right,  
It's not easy to dream of you every night,  
Knowing you're not mine.  
It's just hard to tell myself you're not mine,  
And even though I know it's true,  
It's just too hard to hear your name and not break down inside; _

'_Cause since I first saw you I've been head over heels.  
Since I first saw you I guess I know how love feels.  
When I first saw you my heart beat fast,  
Didn't know this would last,  
These feelings sneaking up and killing me over again.  
This stupid heart, skipping a beat at your name.  
Just tells me the truth,  
That I love you. _

"Ohh," I breathed. "Who is this about?"

Fang simply glared at me like I was stupid, looking ready to kill me.

"Who do you _think_?"

"Uhh, me? Since, I mean, you're with Erin. So, of course she _is _yours and you told me you loved me a little while ago, and since the end of the chorus says I lo—" Fang got up then and started crossing the room but I kept on talking. "—ve you and then in the verse it says that—"

I was cut off by Fang pressing his lips to mine gently, but also forcefully. His rough hand caressed my face as he leant over me. I melted into the kiss, pushing myself closer and closer to Fang. Finally I was getting tired of holding myself up and pulled him onto the bed with me, tracing his lips with my tongue. They parted under my touch, and our heads were tilting every which way to try and get closer.

My hands were pressed up against his chest and his arms were wrapped around my waist, pulling me as close to him as he could.

Our kissing grew weaker and weaker until it stopped all together and our faces were just resting together. Unfortunately, Fang was on top of me so I couldn't run away. Dang.

"Now, what did you come over here for?" Fang asked casually, pressing his forehead to mine. My brain shorted out.

"Uhm…" I remembered. "Jon said he loved me. And I ran."

"Smooth," Fang smirked. "What are you going to do, now?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "What about you? Cheating on your girlfriend with her best friend? If she catches you I take no blame. You attacked me."

"But you liked it," Fang smiled.

I grimaced, and then smiled. "Yeah, but… Seriously, you're going out with Erin. You can't exactly go around kissing me."

"Erin and I… Are in a complicated relationship…" Fang trailed off with a slight frown. "She isn't you, for one… And two, she's… I don't know. I like her, I guess, but not like that. I only said yes because you had Jon. And you still do. But, Erin… I don't have her. She's not the kind of girl who gives her heart away that easily. Her _whole_ heart. And I sure as hell don't have it."

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

"Why? I'm happy. I mean, I'm… I don't know. But when I break up with her it won't be as bad. She falls for people easily, she likes them for a few years, and she has boyfriends for about six months. She's told me a lot."

"Me, too," I laughed. "I guess you're going to break the six-month-thing?"

"I don't know. If you're with Jon I might as well occupy myself."

"You little man-whore," I laughed sarcastically.

"Hey, your fault."

"Liar."

"How is that a lie?"

"Because, I may not go out with you—"

"Even though you want to." Fang interrupted.

"—That doesn't mean you can't break up with Erin, anyways." I finished while rolling my eyes.

"Why? Jealous?" Fang teased. Though I would never admit it, I _was_.

"No," I told him. He chuckled, brushing my hair out of my eyes. "Are you going to get off of me any time soon?"

"If I do you'll run away," he pointed out.

I let my jaw drop slightly, annoyed that he came to that conclusion so easily. "Says who?"

He laughed, caressing my face. "Face it, Maxie-pie, you're just not the type of girl to stay after kissing her best friend."

"How do you know?" I asked snidely. "I could have very well changed over the past week."

"Have you?"

I coughed lightly, looking away. "Possibly. You'll find out if you get off of me."

"I'm not ready to take that chance, yet," Fang sighed, his minty breath caressing my face. I sighed, allowing my mind to wander. Fang and I had _always_ had a connection. Jon and I… Didn't. Chelsea agreed. Not in so many words, but a few days ago she had said something close to 'Jon and you don't belong together. Fang and you do.'

I just now realized her words had a bit of truth behind them. When Jon had said he loved me, I couldn't even say a word. I wasn't in love with him. At all.

I ran to Fang. Without thinking. My heart led me to Fang.

But I still wasn't sure if I was ready to endanger my relationship with my best friend.

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	21. Cemetery

**This chapter... Is SHORT. **

**And filler-ish. **

**And... Yeah. ooo: **

**Uhm, Yeah. **

**ALSO. **

**For any of you that read 333 things to do in walmart, I WILL be updating. SOON. **

**OMG, right? **

**Yeah. **

**Welllllll; yeah. Okay. **

**Disclaimer: You know who owns it. It's not me. 'Kay? M'mkay. **

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After returning home from Fang's, having explained that I really needed time to think _alone_, he allowed me to leave. But as soon as I dropped on my bed, I was back up, snatching the locket from my bedside table, sprinting to the place I hadn't been since the divorce last year.

Here's the story:

I was born an accident. My mom and dad were just in a serious relationship, but I had broken them up once I was born. Once I was six months old, my mom married the guy who she had been with since she'd been pregnant with me for three months. Eventually, they had Ella together. Unfortunately, five years ago, Greg, my step-father, passed away. Two years later, my mom married my biological father, Jeb. He was friggen rich, and he bought Mom her own vet clinic.

While Jeb was apart from Mom, he'd married another woman, and had a son with her. Ari. My little brother. He was five years old when I met him, and I loved him ever since.

Here I was, looking for help at the place where I was told about the divorce.

_Stupid cancer. Stupidstupidstupid_. I chanted in my head. I knelt down on the grave and stroked the letters on the tombstone. I clamped my eyes shut.

So I lost my dad who I'd never known until three years ago.

Why should I care? I hadn't ever decided if I forgave him or not for abandoning my mother in her time of need.

My _dad_ was still alive and well.

"Ari…" I whispered, hugging my chest tightly. "I miss you so much. Your smile. Your laugh. Your ability to make _me_ smile and laugh, just my laughing. Why did you ever leave? Why couldn't you stay here?" I asked, feeling one lone tear make its way down my cheek. "I miss you. Angel keeps your picture in her locket, too. She still thinks you're coming back, little brother," I crooned. That's when I broke.

"Why couldn't you have stayed? Dad was _rich_. He could've paid for your treatment! Leukemia is treatable. You didn't have to go." I was sobbing, now, gripping my sides as tightly as possible. "They could've found a cure, no matter how far along it was, couldn't they? They _could've_." I growled. "_They. Could. Have._ You should still be here. You should still be with me. You should still be with Angel. You should still have a life. You shouldn't have had to go through this. No one should have.

"God created everything for a reason. What is cancer's reason? Why did he create that? Why did he _take _you from _me_? Why didn't he let you stay with the people who loved you? It's just not _fair_."

Suddenly, strong arms were around me, causing me to jump in surprise. I looked up to see Henry, Fang's biological father, with a sympathetic look upon his face.

"Hey, Mr. Johnson," I muttered lamely.

"Max," he nodded. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head from side to side, pouting before clamping my eyes closed and leaning into Henry's arms, sobbing, repeating my lost little brother's name, while he simply stroked my back and cooed to me.

How wonderful.

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**Kinda OOC. /: **

**Ahwell. **

**/spins around; **

**WHEE~ **

**So, why don't you review? : D **

**OH. **

**And tell me if you read In Your Arms, because I kind of want to work on that, and if someone wants me to... I will. (:  
**


	22. Giggle

**So this is quite short. **

**But it's something, and it will most likely make you happy. **

**I think I'll be putting up chapters that are shorter, or something. It'll get me to write more, because they won't take as long. Now, if I get hit with inspiration(which... I _hopefully_ will...), expect updates. **

**But, I figured, you've waited long enough. **

**I'm kind of set on my Harry Potter fan fictions right now. I mean... ... Yeah. I've been writing a lot of that. :DD **

**Oh; and I just updated my profile. **

**I've been getting private messages, and honestly, I don't check those too often. **

**If you've got a question, look at my contact information and contact me. **

**Even if you don't have a question, I love talking. d: **

**Just sayin'. **

**So... **

**Without further ado(like you haven't had enough ado(whatever that is) already...); **

**Chapter... twenty-two? I think. **

**

* * *

**

I got home, being laid onto my bed.

I didn't want to be here. I wanted to be with Ari. But it was nearly midnight, and I had sat with him for six hours. Mr. Johnson had coaxed me into returning home, and had carried me.

"Max?" my mom called from outside the door.

"Hmm?"

"He's here," she said simply.

I groaned. "Let him in," I huffed.

I heard her murmur something as she ran down the steps, and then I heard a pair of footsteps racing up the stairway. The door opened and I heard him sigh. "I'm sorry, Max."

"I know."

"I shouldn't have."

"I know."

"I take it back."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"No, you really don't."

"Who cares?"

"_He_ will."

"So? Get rid of _him_."

"You can't exactly do that to a guy who has just told you they loved you!" I snarled, wiping what moisture remained on my face. "Look, now isn't the best time."

Fang froze. "Shoot! Max, I'm sorry! I didn't know where you went. And you were hiding your face… Max…"

"Whatever," I muttered, crossing my arms. Fang sighed, reaching towards me and pulling me in towards his chest.

"It's alright. Whatever it is, it's okay."

I huffed. "Not when my little brother is dead! Not when he isn't coming back and I can't change anything about that!"

He shook his head. "No, it's not right now, but you'll be with him again one day. He's waiting for you. He's smiling at you right now. Laughing when you laugh. Each tear drop that falls from your eyes? They fall from his, too. Just not always at the same time. He's with you. All the time. And he always will be."

I sniffed. "What the hell? Since when do you believe in heaven?"

"I don't go to church, but I do believe in God. I believe there is an answer to everything. That everything will turn out alright, and that God will help us through. I know you do, you've said so, but… I don't know to what extent. For me… I wish I did go to church. But since I don't, I'll just keep on believing, and let Him light the way. I don't mean to preach, Max, but Ari is with you."

I took in a shuddering breath, turning to face him. "How do you know his name?"

"Angel. Her locket. She said Ari moved away. I didn't realize that… You know."

I let out a bitter laugh, looking away from him. I clutched my locket in my hands, pressing it to my heart.

"Fang, I love you," I breathed out, feeling him stiffen besides me.

"What?"

"I. Love. You."

"Since when?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"Since now. And either accept it or leave," I growled, waiting for him to stand up. Well, maybe.

But, of course, this was Fang, and he had a chance. He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to him, crushing our lips together. For a minute I was caught up in the ecstasy of the moment, until I felt him trace his tongue against my lower lip. I gasped, giving him the chance to slip his tongue into my mouth, and soon, we were both lost in the kiss.

He broke away first, gasping for air. "And what about him?"

"God, Fang, his name isn't cursed. He's not Lord Voldemort or anything."

"Then why aren't you saying his name?"

"Because I'm currently cheating on him, and I'd prefer not to. But I can't exactly see him until tomorrow."

"And I'm the one you're technically cheating on him with. He's nice. And doesn't deserve this."

I snorted. "Then why did you kiss me earlier? Or now?"

"Because I think anyone _sane_ would jump at a chance to kiss you, whether you were single or not."

I laughed, pulling him back to me, kissing him lightly. "That was a really odd compliment."

"Well, I'm really odd," he murmured, pushing me against the headboard. "You'll just have to deal with that, won't you?"

"I guess I'm stuck with you," I giggled.

Don't act so surprised.

If Fang was hovering over you, you'd giggle, too.

* * *

**Did that make you happy? I hope so. **

**Because I _finally_ got them together... **

**Ish. **

**But it's high school... **

**If you're sensible, you know what that means... **

**(: **

**... You should totally review. :DD **

**While I don't check PMs, I certainly DO check reviews. :DD **

**Sorry it wasn't that great, but I kinda just whipped it out out of no where. **


	23. Excuse Me?

**OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHI'MALIVE. **

**After nearly five?- six?- months? It's an update! **

**Not a very good one. **

**But, guys, I was reading the comments today, and I felt horrible. I'm going to work harder on this story just for you lovely reviewers! (: **

**This is just - dude. you may not want to know this, but I just dislocated my middle toe. ouch. **

**OKAY. that was 8:09. It is now 8:18. ALL BETTER. **

**Anyways. This is just a filler to transition into the next part of the plot. And it describes the- well. Just read. **

**OH. **

**And, everyone: **

**If you'd like to read any of my original novels, ones I'm working on now, I've posted them on the internet: **

www ! wattpad ! com / user / RockinLlama

**The ! are . **

**(: xD **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Well. Apart from Jon. And the plot. And a few of the characters. And, you know... - I don't own anything that JP owns. **

* * *

I threw open the car door once we arrived at school, slamming it shut, and running into the building. Fang let out a frustrated groan, chasing after me before realizing where I was heading to.

"Oh," he breathed. "I'll see you soon," he told me, turning on his heel.

_Good boy_, I thought.

I carried on through the halls, keeping my head held high, as if to say, 'I'm about to do something and I don't give a flip whether you like it or not.' In truth, however, I did. I hated myself for what I was about to do. I blinked, forcing myself to clear my head, before returning my mind to the task at hand.

After a two minute walk, I soon arrived at my destination: Jon's locker.

He always waited for me there, every morning, every day, every minute. All the time.

"Max," he sighed when he spotted me. He jogged over and pulled me into a hug, burying his face into my hair. "I'm sorry. I—I didn't mean it, Max."

I pulled away slightly, turning my gaze up to look into his eyes. They were brimming with sadness, discomfort, and love. How am I supposed to do this? I could learn to love him. I could—I could…

An image of Fang's face crossed my mind, and, cringing, I realized that was improbable. Impossible. Not right. It was a horrible thing to do to him, to Fang, and, though I didn't care as much about myself, to myself. There was no way to make everyone happy right now in this situation, but in the long run it would work. Right? Fang and I would go out, maybe break up eventually(God, I hoped not). Jon would be heartbroken for a while, then quickly recover and find someone much better for himself.

Why was I the girl stuck in this situation? I found nothing appealing about myself. Sure, I was more toned and thin, I wasn't overweight but I wasn't a twig. I was sometimes rude, constantly sarcastic and I could be a pain in the rear. At times I truly wondered why I had any friends at all—what did they find about me to make them want to be friends with me? Maybe it was pity.

But a boy as nice as Jon wouldn't go as far as to say 'I love you' to a girl he pitied.

A rush of guilt swept through me, a twisted, tightening feeling spreading throughout my stomach. He loved me? Did Fang love me?

_Of course he loves you!_ I reprimanded myself. _He's been saying so for _how long_? _

But again, I couldn't help but wonder why. Fang was one of the most sought out boys in this school, so why did he go after me? Of course I was the only person he had ever opened up to, but he was getting better at that. Would he leave me as soon as he found someone else to open up to?

No.

I told myself that over and over, realizing soon, that, for the past minute, I had stood silent in Jon's arms. Time to man up. Grow some balls. Ew. No thank you.

"Jon," I whispered, pulling out of his arms slowly, placing my hands on his chest to gently push him away from me. "If you didn't mean it, then this won't hurt you."

He looked at me questioningly, a frown flitting on to his face before quickly disappearing. "Oh."

"I'm sorry. I—Jon, I can't hurt you like this. I can't hurt myself. I can't hurt—I can't… hurt—"

"Fang," he offered me with a small smile. "Everyone knew it was going to happen. I just tried to tell myself it wouldn't. I thought maybe telling you I loved you would make you realize how perfect we are. But, there are people better for the both of us," he consented, kissing my forehead.

"I'm sorry, Jon. I—Fang and I are—It's just—I can't—"

He let out a chortle at my incoherent sentences, pulling me into a hug. "I do love you, Max, but, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I just love you. Maybe I'm not in love with you."

"How did I get with a guy as wonderful as you in the first place?" I muttered, tilting my head lower to look at my feet. I crossed my arms over my chest, taking in a ragged breath. Why was I getting so damn emotional? I was the one breaking up with him!

I felt two fingers on my chin, bringing my head to look up at him. "You're wonderful, Max. You're beautiful. You're real. You've got a sense of humor, and you're kind. There's so much more to you than you can see. If you really need reassurance, ask Fang. I'm positive he's got some things to say about you."

I dropped my gaze, blushing profusely. "Can we—Jon, I still want to be your friend."

He let out a bark of laughter, pushing me away and putting his hands on my shoulders. "Obviously we're still friends. I promise we are. And, I may sound a bit feminine right now, but I hope we will be for a _long_ time."

"I promise we will," I grinned. "Chelsea would kill me if we weren't," I teased, hugging him once again.

"Go find your boyfriend," he murmured in my ear before pulling away. My eyes widened and he laughed, shaking his head at me. "Just go before I change my mind, kidnap you, and keep you to myself."

I giggled, nodding at him before pivoting, heading towards my first class. I didn't bother stopping at my locked for my textbook; we had a chapter test today.

When I entered the class room, Fang was sitting at his desk, Mrs. Wilben interrogating him. Since there was still four minutes before the warning bell would ring, no one else was in the class with the three of us. It would make it better during her questions, but when I told Fang about the events that had occurred in the past ten minutes, it would make it much more awkward.

"Max!" she smiled, waving enthusiastically at me. I smiled back, setting my notebooks and bag on my desk before offering her a small wave. Fang looked up at me, a question evident in his eyes and I nodded. "Oh, good!" she clapped once. "You broke up with him?"

I stared at her blankly. How did she know? "I told her where you were," Fang explained, a smirk fighting its way on to his face. Eventually it was over taken by a smile, and I couldn't help but smile back at him. It was a rare Fang smile.

"So are you two together, now?" Our teacher asked eagerly. The two of us shared a look, conversing with simple looks. We both came to the conclusion at the same time:

"Yes."

"Thank goodness!" she exclaimed, letting her head fall back in relief. "This is the last time I ever try to involve myself in my students love lives. I get too into it. I have no friends to match anymore. All of them are married off."

I laughed with her, walking around the desk to hug her. "Thank you, Mrs. Wilben. Really."

"Yeah," Fang nodded from my side. She smiled at the two of us before returning to her seat, opening her email.

"I love you," I whispered, pulling Fang into an embrace.

"Finally!" he chuckled. I growled, smacking him on his head before pulling away. I narrowed my eyes to glare at him, standing on my tip-toes to make myself even a bit taller.

"Excuse me?"

"I said 'finally,' – oof!"

I took my fist away from his stomach, grinning as I had elicited the response I'd been hoping for. I had found a weak spot in his side to hit, rather than injuring myself on his muscles. "_Excuse me_?" I repeated, a sickly sweet tone coating my voice.

"I love you, too," he grinned, planting a kiss on my forehead, just as the bell rang.

* * *

**Not the very best. But, you know. (: xD **

**REVIEW. (: **

**Oh, and don't forget to check out wattpad! :D **

**Expect an update BY next week. **


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